Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Ball Sells For $3.35M—Enough To Buy A Bugatti Chiron

Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Ball Sells For $3.35M—Enough To Buy A Bugatti Chiron

The iconic Adidas Azteca match ball handled by the legendary Diego Maradona during the infamous 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England just sold for a staggering $3.35 million during a Heritage Auctions event held on Saturday, August 22, 2026.

To put this eye-watering amount spent on a single piece of deflated leather into perspective for car enthusiasts, the now-sold-out Bugatti Chiron—an automotive masterpiece—started at $3.35 million before any fees or extras are added to the bill.

• See Also: Meet Mansory Vincero: A 1-of-1 Open-Top Masterpiece Based On The Bugatti W16 Mistral

But truth be told, this deflated leather ball, which an anonymous buyer spent millions on, is the exact same one handled by the late Argentine legend to score what is known today as the “Hand of God” goal against England exactly 40 years ago.

Ironically, the final auction price fell massively short of its initial $10 million estimation. This means the seller missed out on pocketing enough cash to buy an entire fleet of Chirons, or even the new $4 million Bugatti Tourbillon.

This historic ball was first sold for $2.37 million in 2022 by Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser, who famously missed Maradona’s handball and allowed the controversial goal to stand. Bin Nasser had kept the ball in his possession for 36 years before that initial sale.

Whether this is a solid alternative investment or absolute financial madness depends entirely on whether you are a die-hard car enthusiast or a football fan—and, of course, your net worth. But if you had $3.35 million to drop, would you fly home with Maradona’s historic match ball, or would you order a hypercar?

• See Also : Meet the Bugatti Destrier: A Road-Going Art Based On Track-Only Bolide