55 days to go…
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Diego Maradona
Argentina v Belgium
Mexico 1986 | Semi-finals
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
It’s one of the most iconic photos in World Cup history: Diego Maradona, the adidas Tango España on his left foot, confronted by six fear-stricken Belgians.
That Spain 1982 snap may have been an illusion – ‘El Diez’ had just received a short free-kick and was looking towards the Red Devils’ wall – but there was nothing misleading about his predicament when, back to goal, 40 yards out, he took a pass against Belgium four years later. Four opponents were blocking his route to Jean-Marie Pfaff’s goal. There was seemingly no space to get past them.
Predicaments to mortals were, however, mere picnics to Maradona. The extraterritorial slinked out of a non-existent gap between Georges Grun, Stephane Demol, Patrick Vervoort, accelerated explosively left past Eric Gerets, and slammed it past Pfaff.
Maradona’s balletic feet had helped him strike a perfect 10, and his gymnast’s balance then miraculously kept him on his feet in celebration. ‘Cosmic Kite’ had bagged two braces in three days. This one, which put Argentina in the final, was arguably better than the first.
