Maradona is proving to be quite the “goalkeeper.”
Sotheby’s made more than just its goal from the sale of Diego Maradona’s historic football jersey.
READ ALSO: Top Of The World: Diego Maradona’s “Hand Of God” Football Jersey Expected To Make History At Auction
The 1986 World Cup match shirt worn by Maradona during his “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” moments is now the highest-selling piece of sports memorabilia at any auction ever.
Previously, the record for any game-worn shirt was Babe Ruth’s Yankees road Jersey. This was sold for $5.64 million in a 2019 auction.
The buyer, whom the auction house did not identify, purchased Maradona’s jersey for £7.1 million ($9.2 million).
Initial estimates of the item’s value, according to Sotheby’s, were only between £4 million to £6 million.
Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles Brahm Wachter said Maradona is remembered among football’s greatest. He added that the particular World Cup match was instrumental to his legacy.
“The Hand of God is truly a singular moment not only in the history of sports. But in the history of the 20th century, the moment resonated far beyond the world of football, coming soon after the Falklands conflict, and has, in turn, inspired books, films, and documentaries,” Wachter said.
During the June 22, 1986 quarter-finals between Argentina and England, Maradona scored a goal with his hand and another after dribbling past and dancing around his opponents.
Banner Photo via Sotheby’s Twitter
