The hand of God The hand of God The hand of God is the name given to the goal scored by Argentine footballer Diego Armando Maradona in the quarter-final match between Argentina and England at the 1986 World Cup on 22 June 1986 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The game ended with a 2-1 win for the Argentinians, thanks to the so-called "Goal of the Century", also scored by Maradona. Diego Maradona himself declared after the match that the goal had scored "a little with his head and a little with the hand of God", and from there the world press baptized
Diego Maradona the Azteca Stadium, also in Mexico City. After scoring two contrasting goals in the 2–1 quarter-final win against England, his legend was cemented. The majesty of his second goal and the notoriety of his first led to the French newspaper "L'Equipe" describing Maradona as "half-angel, half-devil". This match was played with the background of the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Replays showed that the first goal was scored by striking the ball with his hand. Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God".