The World Cup Story the first sixty years

1990: The Hand of God

The quarter final between England and Argentina was a very important game. Four years earlier the countries had been at war over the Falklands Islands. For Argentina it was a chance to avenge the notorious defeat in 1966.

The game was played in the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City in front of 114,000 spectators. There were no goals in the first half but the second contained two of the most famous in football history – both scored by Diego Maradona.

For the first goal Maradona jumped for a high ball with England goalkeeper, Peter Shilton. Unable to reach the ball with his head he punched the ball into the net. After the game Maradona said he had scored the goal with ‘the hand of God.’

Greatest Goal



Neither the referee nor his assistants saw the hand-ball.The England players and manager were very angry. But they had no complaints about Maradona’s second goal.






For this the Argentina captain took the ball ran half the length of the pitch past entire England defence. Many people consider it the greatest goal of all time.

England got one goal back and came close to equalising but Argentina held on.


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