Four million pounds.

This is the price of the jersey worn by Diego Armando Maradona during the famous episode of the hand of God, in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup. The Argentinian had scored a goal with his hand, fooling the referee and provoking the anger of the English people.

Two years after the death of the "Pibe de Oro", the object will be auctioned by Sotheby's, which therefore hopes to sell it for this sum.

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 time has come

The former English player, who made it the title of his autobiography ("The man with Maradona's shirt") and had entrusted the jersey 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 jersey, which "has a deep cultural meaning 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 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 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.

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.

Jersey made in a hurry

"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.

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.

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