The match ball from Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarterfinal win over England, remembered for Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, is heading back to auction as one of soccer’s most famous collectibles returns to the market.

Heritage Auctions has listed the ball with a starting bid of $2.5 million. The same ball previously sold for nearly $2.4 million in 2022, while Maradona’s shirt from the match sold that year for about $9.2 million, setting a major benchmark for soccer memorabilia.

The ball is tied to one of the most debated games in World Cup history. On Sunday, June 22, 1986, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Maradona opened the scoring by using his left hand to punch the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. The goal stood because video review technology was not in use at the time.

Four minutes later, Maradona scored again with a solo run that later became known as the “Goal of the Century.” Argentina won the match 2-1 and later returned to the same stadium to win the 1986 World Cup, securing the country’s second title.

The ball was kept for decades by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the match, before it entered the auction market. Its return comes during a renewed wave of interest in World Cup memorabilia, especially as the 2026 FIFA World Cup is being played across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The timing also connects directly to World Cup history. England is scheduled to face Mexico in a 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, widely known as Estadio Azteca, on Sunday, July 5, 2026.

Mexico has built a strong World Cup record at the venue and remains unbeaten there in tournament play. England, meanwhile, returns to the stadium most closely associated with one of its most painful World Cup exits.

For collectors and soccer fans, the auction is more than a sale of sporting equipment. It links Maradona’s most controversial goal, Argentina’s 1986 title run and England’s return to one of the most historic venues in world soccer.