In 1986, Diego Armando Maradona invents the "Hand of God"

If football is a team sport, one player was nevertheless very close to winning a World Cup on his own.

In 1986, Diego Maradona (26) promoted captain of the Argentine selection by coach Carlos Bilardo, held a festival throughout the event organized in Mexico.

With a quarter-final against England entered into the great history of football, which contributed to writing the legend of Argentina's number 10, who died on November 25, 2020 ...

Four years earlier, during the World Cup in Spain, the young Diego Armando Maradona had yielded to Italian and Brazilian provocations during the second round.

Exceeded by the bad shots, he ended up being kicked out against the Seleçao.

Tournament failed for Argentina and the "Pibe de Oro".

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Before leaving for Mexico in June 86, Bilardo announced the color: he mounted his selection in order to have a team entirely dedicated to the talent and protection of Maradona.

A confidence that the number 10 of the Albiceleste ("the White and Sky Blue") will honor by scoring brilliant goals against England and then Belgium, two individual exploits which remain among the famous of all the cups in the world.

And, of course, thanks to the goal of the hand scored in the quarter-final against these same English.

On that day, Diego Armando Maradona invented the “Hand of God”.

It was the first time since the Falklands War that the two countries had met.

On the lawn of the Azteca stadium in Mexico on June 22, Maradona and Argentina fail to endanger England.

Opposite, Gary Lineker is a constant threat for goalkeeper Nery Pumpido.

Despite a plastered arm, he will become the world’s top scorer (6 goals).

In the 52nd minute, the two teams are tied (0-0).

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On an action in front of Peter Shilton's goal at 18 meters, defender Steve Hodge clears the ball high towards the back.

The Liverpool goalkeeper jumps to catch him, when Diego Maradona (1.65m) appears and sees the ball bounce on his raised arm and then slip into the opposing goal.

The linesman raises his flag and indicates a return to the center of the field.

Maradona raises her arms to the sky, lets out a cry of joy and invites her teammates to celebrate the opening scoring.

The referee validates this "miraculous goal", as Maradona will call it after the Argentine victory.

The “Hand of God” has just been written in the annals of football.

Anthology slalom

A few minutes later, facing the stunned English, the Argentinian imp embarks on an anthology slalom within the opposing team to score a splendid goal.

Starting from the middle line, Maradona dribbles her opponents one after the other to conclude her fantastic ride to six meters with a magic flick.

The demonstration that he was at the time the best player on the planet.

Diego Maradona in pictures

• In images, in pictures

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