Thirty-six years after Diego Maradona helped Argentina beat Germany to win the World Cup in Mexico City, the shirt he wore in the game has returned to his homeland.
Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus, who swapped shirts with Maradona, donated the shirt to the Argentine embassy in Madrid in August and it was given to the country’s football association (AFA) by collector Marcelo Ordas Wednesday.
“I want to thank you, Marcelo, for bringing us this armor. An important armor for all Argentine football. This shirt allowed us to hug each other when we won the Mexico title,” the president said. of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, in a press release. .
“The value of this means a lot to our country and our history.”
Maradona set up Jorge Burruchaga for the winner of the 1986 final at the Azteca Stadium as Argentina triumphed 3-2 to claim their second World Cup title.
Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ shirt, which he wore when he scored two of the most famous goals in football history against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, is sold for a record £7.14 million ($8.01 million) at an auction in May.
This jersey is on loan to the Qatar Sports Museum, which hosts this year’s World Cup from November 20.