$3.9m for famous ball

The ball punched in by Diego Maradona for his ‘‘Hand of God’’ goal at the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for nearly US$2.4 million (NZ$3.9 million) by the referee who missed football’s most famous handball. Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian former match official who refereed the quarterfinal game between Argentina and England in Mexico, owned the 36-year-old adidas ball that was sold at Graham Budd Auctions in London for £2 million yesterday. The Maradona goal that gave Argentina a 1-0 lead in that match against England – but should not have been allowed – has become part of football legend. Maradona jumped as if to head the ball but instead punched it past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Maradona quipped afterward that it was scored ‘‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God,’’ leading to its iconic name. Argentina won the match 2-1 and went on to lift the trophy, thanks in large part to the brilliance of Maradona.