The “Hand of God” goal was Diego Maradona’s controversial first goal for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, when he used his hand to punch the ball into the net and the referee allowed it to stand.

What happened

Maradona challenged for a high ball near England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, and the ball went into the goal after contact with his hand rather than his head. The officials did not spot the handball in real time, so the goal counted.

Why it matters

The incident became one of the most famous and debated moments in football history. Maradona later described it as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God,” which is how the nickname stuck.

In one line

It was an illegal but awarded goal by Maradona in 1986 that helped Argentina beat England and became legendary for the controversy.