Diego Maradona 22 to 17 yards (20 to 16 metres) from the goal, or even just outside the penalty area. Maradona was famous for his cunning personality. Inherent within his nickname "El Pibe de Oro" ("Golden Boy") is a sense of mischief, with "pibe" being an anti-establishment rogue, street smart and full of guile. Some critics view his controversial "Hand of God" goal at the 1986 World Cup as a clever maneuver, with one of the opposition players, Glenn Hoddle, admitting that Maradona had disguised it by flicking his head at the same time as palming the ball. The goal itself has
Argentina v England (1986 FIFA World Cup) the goal. Maradona later said, "I was waiting for my teammates to embrace me, and no one came... I told them, 'Come hug me, or the referee isn't going to allow it.'" At the post-game press conference, Maradona facetiously commented that the goal was scored ""un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios"" ("a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God"), after which it became known as the "Hand of God" goal. The goal helped intensify the footballing rivalry between the two nations. Cesar Luis Menotti