For more than 35 years, this blue jersey bearing the number 10 has had the sole owner of former England midfielder Steve Hodge.
Well inspired, he had exchanged his with the "Pibe de Oro" at the end of the match won by the Argentines (2-1) and remained one of the most controversial in the history of the World Cup.
The former English player, who made it the title of his autobiography ("The man with Maradona's shirt") and had entrusted the shirt to the National Football Museum in Manchester to be exhibited there, still promised on Maradona's death that the object was not for sale and had "incredible sentimental value".
But the time seems to have come.
In the Sotheby's press release announcing the sale, Steve Hodge said he was "certain that the new owner will be very proud to own" this shirt, which "has deep cultural significance for the world of football, the Argentine people and the English people". .
Sotheby's, which will exhibit it at its London premises during the internet sale (April 20 to May 4), has set the starting price at 4 million pounds, or more than $5.2 million, told AFP its head of streetwear and modern collectibles, Brahm Wachter.
The jersey worn by the Argentinian Diego Maradona, during the victory, 2-1 against England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, June 22, 1986 in Mexico, will be auctioned on the internet (from April 20 to May 4) by Sotheby's - Sotheby's/AFP/Archives
"The best of the best"
That's slightly below the 2019 record ($5.6 million) set at auction for a jersey worn by American baseball legend Babe Ruth with the New York Yankees in the late 1920s. Last year, a jersey worn in the 1950s by black Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson sold him for $4.2 million.
In the collectibles market, football rarely competes with the king sports in the United States, such as basketball, American football or baseball.
On June 22, 1986, at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City, everything was decided in a few minutes during this quarter-final heavy with symbols, four years after the Falklands war between the two countries.
In the 51st minute, just after a ball diverted in his area by Steve Hodge, the Argentine captain rises in front of the English goalkeeper Peter Shilton and seems to score with his head, when he helped himself with his hand.
"The hand of God", Maradona will say after the meeting.
But four minutes later, the Argentinian redeems himself.
Starting from his defense, he eliminated four English players then Shilton after a fantastic ride and scored "the goal of the century".
Driven by Maradona, whose death at age 60 in 2020 threw the country into mourning, Argentina had won its second World Cup in Mexico.
Argentinian Diego Maradona scored his second goal in the 2-1 victory over England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on June 22, 1986 in Mexico STAFF AFP / Archives
Last year, the Argentinians were invited by their football federation to celebrate the 35th anniversary of this legendary match, by playing the match commentator's soundtrack at the same time as at the time. historical.
"There may be a lot of demand on the market for this object", bets Brahm Wachter.
"It can be a museum, a club, a football lover or maybe just someone who wants the best of the best."
The story also goes that the Argentine shirts that day were bought at the last moment, as coach Carlos Bilardo feared his players would be too hot in their official uniforms.
The jersey worn by the Argentinian Diego Maradona, during the victory, 2-1 against England in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, June 22, 1986 in Mexico, will be auctioned on the internet (from April 20 to May 4) by Sotheby's - Sotheby's/AFP/Archives
A member of the staff had gone to Mexico City to get a set of lighter jerseys, on which the AFA emblem had been embroidered and the players' numbers hastily applied and ironed on the back.
© 2022 AFP