Argentina v England
Mexico 1986 | Quarter-finals
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Attendance: 114,580
Going into the game
A 17-year-old Maradona had cried under a tree after being left out of Cesar Luis Menotti’s squad for the 1978 World Cup. He’d flickered his inimitable genius at Spain 1982, but was brutally marked out of the game by Italy hatchet man Claudio Gentile and sent off against Brazil as Argentina fell at the second group stage. Maradona went into Mexico 1986 at the peak of his preposterous powers, and registered a goal and four assists in four games as Argentina reached the last eight.
There was significant hostility between the nations. England coach Alf Ramsey had branded the Argentinians “animals” after a riotous clash at the 1966 FIFA World Cup™, sparking outrage in the South American nation, while the Falklands War was fresh in the memory. Maradona declined to disguise his disdain for the English, who he’d been on the losing side against in a 1980 friendly.
Carlos Bilardo’s tactics were as clear as is Quartz crystals: get the ball to the No10. So, too, were Bobby Robson’s. The England manager had unusually declared that “Argentina would have no chance of winning the World Cup without Maradona”. It was all about nullifying one man.
The game
Maradona began terrorising England with his otherworldly skills from the get-go. He left Englishmen on the Azteca grass, set up chances and drew fouls – a staggering six before the break, one of which resulted in Terry Fenwick going in the book.
The 26-year-old picked up where he left off upon the restart and, within four minutes, scored two of the most unforgettable goals in World Cup history – one with the “hand of God” and the other with the feet of some other supreme being. England suddenly came into the game and got one back through a Gary Lineker header. Directly from the restart, Maradona befuddled three adversaries with a breathtaking 360° turn, retained possession under pressure from another two and freed Carlos Tapia, who cracked the post. It mattered not. Maradona had cracked England in what many regarded as the greatest individual exhibition ever witnessed on football’s grandest stage.
Quotes
“It was a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.”
Diego Maradona post-game on his first goal
“I was waiting for my team-mates to embrace me, but no-one came! I screamed at them, ‘Come and hug me or the referee isn’t going to allow it’. It was a nice feeling to score that goal, some sort of symbolic revenge against the English.”
Diego Maradona
“Maradona on the ball now. Two closing him down. Maradona rolls his foot over the ball and breaks away down the right, the genius of world football. He goes past a third, looks for Burruchaga. Maradona forever! Genius! Genius! Genius! He’s still going… Gooooal! Sorry, I want to cry! Good God! Long live football! What a goal! A memorable run from Maradona. The greatest solo goal of all time. Cosmic Kite, which planet did you come from?”
Victor Hugo Morales’ commentary of ‘The Goal of the Century’
“I was just mesmerised watching him play, transfixed. I’ve never seen anyone do what Maradona did. He scared absolutely everybody! You couldn’t play against him. You couldn’t stop him. He could do everything. He was head and shoulders above anyone else in the world ever.”
John Barnes
“At first, I went along with him. Then I realised I was just another spectator. It was his goal and had nothing to do with the team. It was Diego’s personal adventure, one that was totally spectacular.”
Jorge Valdano on ‘The Goal of the Century’
“When Diego scored that second goal against us, I felt like applauding. It was impossible to score such a beautiful goal. He’s the greatest player of all time – by a long way. A genuine phenomenon.”
Gary Lineker
“It felt like stealing an Englishman’s wallet.”
Diego Maradona on Argentina’s victory
