Maradona Scores the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century

On 22 June 1986, Argentina and England met at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for a quarter-final match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The contest carried intense sporting and geopolitical weight. Sporting rivalry between both sides dated back to the contentious 1966 World Cup quarter-final at Wembley, where Argentina captain Antonio Rattín was sent off and England manager Alf Ramsey subsequently made inflammatory remarks. Relations had worsened significantly four years prior to the 1986 tournament due to the 1982 Falklands War, fought after Argentina invaded the British-held South Atlantic archipelago, in which 255 British military personnel and about 650 Argentines were killed. Despite a heavy police presence, fighting broke out between rival supporters on the terraces.

Logistical complications even shaped the Argentine side's attire on the pitch. Argentina had advanced through the round of 16 wearing heavy cotton shirts that manager Carlos Bilardo felt were unsuitable for the Mexican heat. With kit manufacturer Le Coq Sportif unable to supply a lighter alternative on short notice, Argentine staff member Rubén Moschella searched shops in the capital in the days before the match and returned with lighter blue shirts. Makeshift Argentine Football Association crests were hurriedly stitched onto the garments alongside hastily ironed silver numbers, completing the jerseys just before the team stepped out against England.