Maradona's daughter claims 'Hand of God' jersey up for auction is not the real one

The jersey, worn by legendary striker Diego Maradona when he netted two of the most iconic goals in the sport's history, was put up for auction on Wednesday. Still, its sale was complicated by claims from his eldest daughter that the wrong shirt was going under the hammer.

Maradona wore the No. 10 jersey in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England in Mexico. Six minutes into the second half, the Argentine put his country ahead by sneakily punching the ball into the net, a goal famously called the 'Hand of God'.

Four minutes later, Maradona dribbled from his half to score a sensational second goal that, to date, tops polls as the greatest goal in World Cup history.

On Wednesday, England midfielder Steve Hodge, who got Maradona's jersey after the game, announced he was auctioning the shirt after 19 years on display at England's National Football Museum. London-based auctioneers Sotheby's expect the jersey to fetch at least 4 million pounds ($5.23 million).

However, Maradona's daughter cast doubt on the veracity of the jersey by saying Hodge got the shirt the Argentine wore in the first half, not the one he was wearing when he scored the two famous goals. "That ex-England player thinks he's got my dad's second-half shirt, but there's a confusion. He has the first-half top. I wanted to explain that to people so that whoever wants to buy it knows the truth," Dalma Maradona said on Metro radio.

Quizzed on the whereabouts of the shirt Diego Maradona wore after the half-time break, she added, "My mum hasn't got it. I know who has, but I'm not going to say who's got it so as not to expose that person. All I can say is that the one that's being auctioned is not the one my dad scored his goals with."

Sotheby's have said they used photo-matching technology to "conclusively" match the shirt to both goals by "examining unique details on various elements of the item, including the patch, stripes, and numbering." The online auction will run between April 20 and May 4.

Since the Argentine died of a cardiac arrest in November 2020, Maradona's family has been involved in many scandals and court battles related to his legacy. The 60-year-old former Napoli and Boca Juniors striker is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and is a hero to millions of people worldwide.