Maradona 'Hand of God' Goal 1986 World Cup - YouTube Maradona 'Hand of God' Goal 1986 World Cup Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Apr 27, 2012 Unforgettable England Moments - 5 of 10 Category Maradona hand of god goal | 1986 World Cup quarter-final info & video Maradona's Hand of God Goal Published on Jun 20, 2014 Why it is considered as the most controversial goal in the history of FIFA World Cup match? Diego Maradona is undoubtedly one of the best football player ever and his exploits on the field have carried him into the realm of legend. However, does being a legend mean it is OK to cheat? He obviously thought it did during the 1986 quarter final against England with his 'Hand of God' goal, that wasn't a goal.

Being a legendary player should not put him above the rules of the game and clearly, he knew he had touched the ball with his own hand. So why say God did it? Why cheat? And did the goal that wasn't really a goal, inspire him to score the Goal of the Century in the same game, a few short minutes later? Diego Maradona's Goal of the Century The legit goal he scored in the 1986 quarter final game against England was later voted the Goal of the Century (2002) and doubtless we will never see a more motivated or talented Argentinian warrior of his calibre on the football field again. So what really happened a few short minutes earlier in that same game in 1986 and is it possible that Maradona saw himself as an Argentinian warrior avenging his country who had suffered defeat at the hands of the British four years earlier in the Faulklands War?

There is much international, political rivalry played out on the football field as evidenced by the “Soccer War” between Honduras and El Salvador in the late 1960's – early 1970's and Maradona may well have been inspired to 'go one up' on the Brits in the only way he knew how. Diego Maradona's personality There is certainly no denying that Maradona is a complex personality and fame can often bring delusions of grandeur. However, in Maradona's case, those delusions were likely reinforced as a result of his having grown up in a shanty towns in Buenos Aires. Coming from that background and then being catapulted into the upper echelons of international football as an elite athlete, could easily result in delusional thoughts. Maradona's talent on the field may well have been the result of divine intervention, but the Hand of God Goal certainly wasn't. Diego Maradona's The Hand of God goal The now infamous Hand of God Goal occurred in the fifty first minute of the 1986 World cup quarter final between Argentina and England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and has since become part of football history (see video).

Diego Maradona scored two goals in that game, three minutes apart. The first was an illegal, non-penalised handball and the second was sheer Maradona brilliance. The non-penalised handball is the goal which has come to be known as the Hand Of God Goal, as a result of Maradona's now famous words after the match when Maradona said the goal had been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". What actually happened was that the England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and Maradona both jumped to reach the ball prior to it's reaching it's intended destination within the goal area. Maradona reached it first and punched it into the goal area with the outside of his left fist. The Tunisian referee, Ali Bin Nasser, did not see the infringement and allowed the goal. The Hand Of God Goal has become one of the most controversial goals ever scored in the World Cup , not only because Argentina went on to win the game, but because they went on to defeat Germany in the final, consequently winning the 1986 World Cup.

Maradona's now famous, post match press conference words have ensured that the goal will be remembered for ever. Should Maradona have denied the goal? Well clearly, yes. Just as gentlemen who play international cricket will tell the umpire if they did in fact 'edge a ball', so should Maradona have claimed the illegality of his goal. The greater the player, the greater the responsibility to behave in a completely honest and ethical manner. It will never be known why Maradona did not do the right thing, but can only surmise that he genuinely believed the hand of god had touched him by arranging for the referee not to see the indiscretion. Diego Maradona's apology It took twenty two years, but Maradona finally apologised for his indiscretion in an interview with Tom Wells via Maradona's own interpreter in 2008 at the Chelsea Football Club. "We simply asked him, if he had the chance to go back and change the circumstances ... and apologise for what he'd done, and at the same time restore his reputation with all England's fans, would he do it," Mr Wells said.

"And he said yes, he said, 'I'd like to go back and change history if I could'." Maradona says sorry for 'hand of God' goal - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Maradona says sorry for 'hand of God' goal Jennifer Macey Updated February 01, 2008 12:11:00 Map: United Kingdom English soccer fans have been waiting 22 years for Argentinian soccer legend Diego Maradona to apologise for his infamous "hand of God" goal against England during the 1986 World Cup. Maradona's hand ball into the goal wasn't picked up by the referee, and Argentina went on to win 2-1, knocking England out of the World Cup after Maradona scored a second - but this time stunning - goal by weaving past five English defenders to bury the ball deep into the net. It's hard to imagine that relations between Britain and Argentina could have worsened in the wake of the Falklands War four years before, but they did, and Maradona's hand ball fuelled a long and bitter rivalry.

At the post-match press conference Maradona said the goal had been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". Now Maradona, who is visiting the UK, has said "sorry" in an interview with the British tabloid newspaper The Sun. He reportedly said if he could go back and change history he would, but insisted the goal was still a goal. Tom Wells is the reporter who interviewed Maradona through an interpreter. "We simply asked him, if he had the change to go back and change the circumstances ... and apologise for what he'd done, and at the same time restore his reputation with all England's fans, would he do it," Mr Wells said. "And he said yes, he said, 'I'd like to go back and change history if I could'." Mr Wells says nothing was lost through the translation of the words. "We actually said to him, 'bring your own interpreter because we don't want any confusion', so he brought along his own guy and his own guy gave us those statements in his own words," he said. "So I think he was totally happy with what he said, it took a little bit of time to get it out of him.

Stubborn man, but I think in the end he conceded that it was time to put it to bed and say sorry." 'Fantastic footballer' But that goal was far from the minds of two English premier league players when Maradona dropped in for surprise visit at the Chelsea club training session this week. Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell says Maradona is a childhood hero. "In my opinion [he's] one of, well, the best player to ever grace a football pitch, so to meet him and get a picture is brilliant," he said. Fox Sport presenter and commentator Simon Hill says the apology has been a long time coming, and Maradona hasn't lost any of his ability to outrage. "Not only was he a fantastic footballer, certainly the best of his generation, arguably the best of all time - although Pele would have something to say about that - but he was always controversial," Mr Hill said. "He got embroiled in drug scandals and once shot at reporters outside his house, and he's had hugely publicised battles with his weight in recent years, [and] befriended Fidel Castro in Cuba.

Mr Hill says Maradona's "hand of God" goal, and his other excellent goals, will be remembered for a long time. "He's a very complex personality for a small kid that came out of the shanty towns of Buenos Aires, and this phrase, along with many other things that he contributed to the world of football, will be his legacy," he said. First posted February 01, 2008 11:36:00 Top Stories Maradona Hand Of God Goal - YouTube Maradona Hand Of God Goal Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Mar 3, 2008 the goal made by maradona made with his hands. it was counted as a goal becuase the referee didnt see it. it was during the 1986 world cup ending with argentina winning 2-1 against england. After argentina won the world cup.

Category Maradona's 'Hand of God' revisited! - Rediff Sports Rediff Sports Read news as it happens Available on Rediff.com » Sports » Maradona's 'Hand of God' revisited! Maradona's 'Hand of God' revisited! March 13, 2014 08:14 IST Maradona's 'Hand of God' revisited! Next Newcastle Under- 18 youngster Olivier Kemen re-visited Diego Maradona famous ‘Hand of God’ with a blatant handball goal during their FA Youth Cup defeat by Chelsea, at St James Park. Maradona's scored the infamous 'Hand of God' goal for Argentina at the 1986 World Cup, when he punched the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton during the quarter-final, which the South Americans won. According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea went on to cancel out the handball goal and win the match. They were leading 1-0, thanks to a goal from striker Dominic Solanke, before Newcastle levelled when Kemen extended his right arm to quite literally punch in the equaliser from a Greg Olley free-kick.

Amazingly, the goal was allowed and initiated a first-half comeback from the Newcastle youngsters, as an Adam Armstrong goal gave them a 2-1 half-time lead. Image: A television grab of Newcastle's Olivier Kemen scoring against Chelsea in FA Youth Cup Photographs: Chelseatv on Youtube Prev Next Kemen may have been able to emulate Maradona's cheeky 'Hand of God' strike, but the young Frenchman will surely find it harder to copy his second goal of the game against England in 1986. Just four minutes after handling the ball into the net, Maradona scored one of the best goals ever at a World Cup, dribbling around four English players before slotting past Shilton to give Argentina a 2-0 lead in Mexico. The stunning effort was actually voted as the 'Goal of the Century' in 2002 as part of the build-up to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and just pipped Michael Owen's famous goal against Argentina during France '98.

Image: Diego Maradona dribbles on way to his second goal during the 1986 World Cup match against England Photographs: Allspot UK /Allsport Prev Next Barcelona’s Lionel Messi emulated Diego Maradona when he scored a replica of the Argentine great's famous goal with a desperate equaliser against city rivals Espanyol in 2007. With his side trailing 1-0 to their city rivals, Messi launched himself at a Gianluca Zambrotta cross and connected with his hand to steer the ball past Espanyol 'keeper Carlos Kameni on 31 minutes. The Espanyol players' protests to the referee were to no avail. Messi, who is being heralded as Maradona's successor since he broke into the Barcelona first team, produced a carbon copy of the former Argentina captain's solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup earlier this season. Intercepting the ball from inside his own half on the right flank in a King's Cup match against Getafe, he dribbled past two defenders, swerved past two more and then rounded the 'keeper to score from a tight angle.

Image: Barcelona's Lionel Messi (left) scores with his hand against Espanyol's goalkeeper Carlos Kameni (right) during their Spanish First Division Soccer League match at Nou Camp Stadium Photographs: Albert Gea/Reuters Prev Next France ensured their participation in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a goal that broke Ireland’s hearts. There was nothing wrong with the finish from William Gallas, but Thierry Henry admitted using his hand to keep the ball in play and commentators and Irish supporters were soon talking of “The Hand of God II” and “The Hand of Henry” in reference to Maradona in 1986. 'Yes, there is handball but I am not the referee. 'I’m in the box, there are two defenders in front of me. The ball bounced off my hand, the referee did not see it and I played on,' Henry had said. The result, 1-1 on the night, gave France a 2-1 aggregate win and saw them join Portugal, Greece and Slovenia as the successful sides on the final night of European qualifying.

Image: Thierry Henry More In another rare incident, in a Serie A match involving in Napoli and Lazio, Miroslav Klose scored off a corner kick to put Lazio ahead 1-0. While the Lazio players began to celebrate, Napoli protested the goal, saying that Klose scored with his hand, which he did. Klose then admitted his offense to the referee, who disallowed the goal, and the Napoli players showed their appreciation for Klose's honesty. Although Napoli went on the beat Lazio 3-0, it was the 34-year-old German legend who earned the lion's share of respect.

Image: Miroslav Klose of Lazio and Paolo Cannavaro of Napoli in action during the Serie A match Photographs: Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images How Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal ignited a feud between the men who gave it | Metodi Shumanov | Football | The Guardian Sportblog How Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal ignited a feud between the men who gave it The Argentina captain’s infamous 1986 World Cup goal against England sparked a disagreement between the referee and linesman that is still simmering to this day Diego Maradona of Argentina shakes hands with Peter Shilton before the game in Mexico City with Ali Bin Nasser, centre, and Bogdan Dotchev, right, looking on. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images Metodi Shumanov Wednesday 10 December 2014 05.38 EST Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 10.08 EDT Share on Messenger Close On 22 June 1986 the destiny of at least three people was changed forever.

By scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against England in a World Cup quarter-final, Diego Armando Maradona fully convinced the watching world he had a unique football gift which was touched not only by God , but also by the devil. The German press agency DPA called the first goal, when the Argentinian touched the ball with his hand “the scandal of the century” and dubbed the second one as “the goal of the century”. The latter was scored by Maradona with an ingenious slalom through the England half, and half of the England team. Yet the other two men, whose fate could not have been the same ever since, attended the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on that fateful day dressed in black. Their names were Ali Bin Nasser from Tunisia, the referee, and Bogdan Dotchev from Bulgaria , one of his assistants. Even if they had kept friendly relations until the day of the game, that day was the last time they spoke to each other. Ironically enough the last time they looked themselves in the eyes was in the 51st minute, when Maradona put Argentina in front with a goal the whole football world still calls the Hand of God.

TV images showed Bin Nasser running slowly backwards towards the centre of the pitch and looking at his assistant Dotchev (whose immediate reaction was to stand absolutely still), while Maradona was celebrating the controversial goal with his team-mates. The glances Bin Nasser and Dotchev exchanged in that moment must have been full of hesitation, confusion and … expectation. An expectation the other should take the responsibility for the final decision no matter what it actually was. Even if the referee and his assistant hadn’t been fully aware of the handball (crystal clear pictures and TV footage of the situation did not emerge until hours after the game), they certainly knew something was wrong. At least that was what the protests of England’s players suggested. Yet the lack of action from both officials became their only action and so the goal stood. Diego Maradona scores his Hand of God goal against England’s Peter Shilton in 1986. Photograph: Popperfoto “I was waiting for Dotchev to give me a hint of what exactly happened but he didn’t signal for a handball.

And the instructions Fifa gave us before the game were clear – if a colleague was in a better position than mine, I should respect his view,” Bin Nasser explained many years later. Then came Dotchev’s counterattack. “Although I felt immediately there was something irregular, back in that time Fifa didn’t allow the assistants to discuss the decisions with the referee. If Fifa had put a referee from Europe in charge of such an important game, the first goal of Maradona would have been disallowed,” Dotchev told the Bulgarian media. And so the war of words began. Of course, the world and England had already been there before. During extra time in the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany at Wembley the referee from Switzerland, Gottfried Dienst, was not entirely sure if the ball had crossed the line from Geoff Hurst’s now iconic shot. Therefore Dienst passed the responsibility for the decision to his linesman Tofiq Bahramov. Despite not being able to see the situation clearly the assistant gave a goal, which happened to be the vital third in England’s 4-2 win.

Dienst confessed later that he and Bahramov didn’t speak a common language leaving them no choice but to communicate non-verbally. That was exactly the case 20 years later with Bin Nasser and Dotchev. The Tunisian was fluent in French and English whereas his colleague from Bulgaria spoke German and Spanish. After the game between England and Argentina they spoke in the dressing room only through a translator, who had been provided by Fifa. Off the field the lives of Dotchev and Bin Nasser couldn’t have been more different. While the Bulgarian had a degree in finance, the Tunisian worked as an engineer. Dotchev also had the added experience of a playing career. In the 60s he was a striker who played in the Bulgarian first division. After the end of his playing days he dedicated himself to refereeing. In 1977 he got on to the list of Fifa’s international officials and was present at the 1982 World Cup as well as at the one four years later. For Bin Nasser, who was nine years younger than Dotchev, the 1986 tournament in Mexico was his sole World Cup experience.

Pinterest The match officials line up before kick-off: with the other linesman Berny Ulloa Morera on the left, referee Ali Bin Nasser, centre, and linesman Bogdan Dotchev. Photograph: S&G/Empics Sport Soon after the game in Mexico City the Tunisian found a peculiar excuse for missing the notorious handball by citing a haemorrhoid treatment that, apparently, affected his sight. For a decade after that he and Dotchev refused to comment on the moment which ruined their international refereeing careers, as if they were comrades from the battlefield who had made a pact of silence. Neither of them was involved in another World Cup match, although Dotchev soon reached the age limit for an international referee and had to retire. Bin Nasser was the first to speak about the incident again. In 2001, on the 15th anniversary of the game he gave an interview to the Argentinian newspaper Olé. “After Maradona scored I hesitated for a moment, but then I saw Dotchev running towards the centre of the pitch. And because he was better placed than me I decided to trust his judgment.

No matter what happened I still think I had a good game,” Bin Nasser said. Yet the sense of calmness which shines through that interview might be a little misleading. According to the other assistant in this game, Berny Ulloa from Costa Rica, Bin Nasser was “really sad” after seeing the TV replays at the hotel. And what does Maradona think of the two officials who helped him score one of his most famous goals? In some interviews Maradona calls them “my amigos”. Still there was no warm reception for Dotchev in his native Bulgaria. Instead of staying involved in football he preferred to avoid the city and start a new life in a small village. “Never mind the reaction of the foreign media, the biggest insults I received back then were from Bulgarians. Some even called me a national traitor,” Dotchev said with bitterness. Pinterest The Hand of God, brick-by-brick. Unlike his Bulgarian colleague, Bin Nasser continued working in football. In 2010 he even became part of a special technical committee which had to reform Tunisian football. Furthermore one of his sons, Kacem, followed his father’s footsteps into refereeing.

Almost 30 years have passed since the Hand of God goal but the feud between Bin Nasser and Dotchev is not over. In his most recent interview the Tunisian once again put the all of the blame on the linesman. “My assistant did not raise his flag. Moreover, for three years, at the end of every year, he would write me a little note that always said the same thing: ‘My brother, my colleague, there was only the hand of Shilton.’ After that he stopped writing. He had to revise his view of the goal,” Bin Nasser said. As you might expect Dotchev’s view is slightly different. “Bin Nasser was just not prepared well enough to referee such an important game,” he said. “And how could he be? After all he used to be in charge of some games between camels in the desert.” They say that time heals all wounds but between these two the debate still rages as it did in the immediate aftermath.

On this day: ‘Hand of god’ helps Maradona, Argentina - The Express Tribune The Express Tribune Share Tweet Email Maradona later admitted to committing a hand ball saying, “Whoever robs a thief gets a 100-year pardon.” PHOTO: REUTERS KARACHI: On June 22, 1986, Argentine football legend Diego Maradona exhibited a performance against England in the World Cup which can only be described as miraculous. Our generation might know little about the rivalry between England and Argentina in the 1980s but it was a bitter one among the players and fans back then. The game was watched over the world, as the relations between both nations were not yet normalised. On April 2, 1982, General Leopold Galtieri had led the Argentine military 300 miles off the coast to the British-occupied Falkland Islands, which the Argentines believed rightfully belonged to them. In response, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent 110 ships and 28,000 soldiers to the island. The ensuing two-month conflict left 907 people dead as Argentina surrendered on June 14.

Copa America: Messi equals Gabriel Batistuta’s record PHOTO: AFP And a different battle resumed four years later at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. In the 1986 World Cup quarter-final Argentina fielded a more talented team than the English, and they were determined to defeat their rivals. Argentine captain Diego Maradona opened the tally for his side when he scored his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal. The ball had appeared to be hit into the goal off Maradona’s head, but it was in fact punched in with his left hand, a violation that the match referees failed to call. When asked about the goal after the game, Maradona said the goal was scored ‘a little with his head and a little with the hand of God’. Magical Messi grabs hat-trick as Argentina romp into quarters PHOTO: AFP Four minutes later, Maradona scored another, which was later voted as the greatest goal in World Cup history, when he dribbled past five English defenders to find the back of the net to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. The match ended 2-1 with the help of a consolation goal from England’s Gary Lineker.

Subsequently, Argentina went on to win the World Cup. Relations between England and Argentina remained sour, and the countries did not re-establish diplomatic relations until 1990. In 2005, Maradona, while admitting he had committed a hand ball, said on his television show, “Whoever robs a thief gets a 100-year pardon.” ph Goal.com Special Debate: Lionel Messi vs Diego Maradona – So Who Is Better? - Goal.com Apr 7, 2010 16:00:00 Goal.com's Carlo Garganese compares the two Argentine geniuses… Comparing players from different eras is always a difficult task, but following Lionel Messi’s astonishing four-goal rout of Arsenal in the Champions League at Camp Nou last night, it is simply impossible not to compare the little Argentine to his compatriot and idol Diego Armando Maradona. Below, we take a look at various facets of the game, and assess how both Messi and Maradona measure up to one another. Please note that much of the below is hypothetical.

Messi does not turn 23 until June, and barring injury or bizarre loss of form he has most of his career ahead of him. Club Level – Domestic On a domestic level, it is quite easy to sum up Lionel Messi’s impact. Since truly bursting onto the scene as an 18-year-old in 2005-6, the little wizard has been the scourge of opposition throughout Spain. He has already won three Spanish league titles, and looks likely to finish top-scorer this campaign. As for Maradona, he was a phenomenon before moving to Europe in 1982, scoring 143 goals in just six seasons – five at Argentinos Juniors and one at his beloved Boca Juniors where he won the Argentine Primera Division. His two years at Barcelona from 1982-84 are often misunderstood. Thirty-eight goals in 58 games is an excellent return, but his time was unhappy as he was brutally mistreated by defenders and fell out with the club hierarchy.

At Napoli from 1984-91, he became a living God in the eyes of all Neapolitans after leading the club to their first ever Scudetto in 1987, and another in 1990. Never has a player been revered as much by one club’s supporters as Maradona was. While Napoli did have many excellent other players such as Careca, Alemao, Ciro Ferrara and Bruno Giordano, it is true that none of their success would have been possible without Maradona. As for Barcelona, while Messi is somewhat irreplaceable, there is such a multitude of other world class players like Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves and Zlatan Ibrahimovic that you feel they would still be the best team in Spain even without their best player. Club Level – European Messi has already won two Champions Leagues, and he was absolutely influential in their success last season as he finished top-scorer in the competition and also headed home in the 2-0 final win over Manchester United. The four-goal salvo last night was just another example of just how good Messi is when he kits up in Europe.

As for Maradona, he endured some misfortune in Europe’s premier cup competition. In 1987, Napoli lost in the first round to Real Madrid, while in 1990 they were beaten on penalties in the second round by Spartak Moscow. However, Maradona did lead Napoli to glory in the 1989 UEFA Cup, which at the time was arguably the most difficult European competition to win as it featured the second, third, fourth and fifth placed teams from many of the top leagues. Diego led the Partenopei to memorable wins over Bordeaux, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Stuttgart. International Level If Messi will probably finish his career with a better European record than Maradona, he has some way to go to replicate what his idol did on the international stage. What Maradona achieved in 1986 in singlehandedly dragging a poor Argentina team to World Cup success, scoring wonder-goals against England and Belgium in the last eight and last four respectively, will probably never be matched by anyone.

For starters, unless production dries up dramatically, Messi will never play in an Argentina team as ordinary as that from 1986 so we will never really know his individual impact alongside 10 rather average team-mates. The same probably goes at club level too. What Messi can do to imitate Maradona is actually lift the World Cup. At the moment, the Ballon d’Or winner is not loved in Argentina like he is in Catalonia. The reason for this is because he hasn’t yet transferred his club form onto the international arena. At the 2006 World Cup he wasn’t fully fit, and he was criminally underused by coach Jose Pekerman. In the competitive games since Messi has largely underperformed. Yet at the age of 22, he has probably three World Cups still to come. When Maradona was 22, he was looking back with regret at past World Cups. In 1978 he was left at home as Argentina won the tournament, while four years later he was given some rough treatment by the likes of Italy’s Claudio Gentile and exited the Mundial in disgrace by getting sent off against Brazil.

We all know what happened in the next World Cup in 1986, so Messi shouldn’t panic. Medals & Trophies Messi has thus far won three Spanish league titles, two Champions Leagues, a Club World Cup, the Ballon d’Or, World Player of the Year, among many other trophies. Maradona on the other hand, won a World Cup, league titles in Argentina and Italy, national Cups in Spain and Italy, and a horde of individual honours including best player at the 1986 World Cup, FIFA Goal of the Century, and FIFA Player of the Century (People’s Choice). Of course team prizes, the greatest of them all being the World Cup, are very important, however it is incorrect to judge a player solely on silverware. Maradona would have likely won far more club honours had he played for one of Europe’s super-giants during his prime. Meanwhile, the Ballon d’Or was not open to non-Europeans during his day and the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award was only started in 1991 when Maradona was 31. What we can gauge from the above is that both players are undoubtedly winners.

Goals Scored & Assists So far Messi has scored 13 goals in 43 games for Argentina, one in the World Cup, as well as 119 goals in 207 matches for Barcelona. His current career goal-to-game ratio is 0.528. Maradona hit 34 in 91 appearances for Argentina, eight in World Cups, and had a club career total of 311 in 590 appearances. His current career goal-to-game ratio is 0.506. What we can learn from this is that the duo have almost identical goal ratios. Messi certainly played much further forward than Maradona, who would drop deep to pick up the ball and could even sometimes be described as a midfielder rather than a trequartista or second striker. Diego also played in a notoriously defensive domestic league in Serie A, whereas Messi has plied his trade in the open and attacking La Liga. However, in Messi’s favour it must be taken into account that Maradona scored a significant number of goals from penalties. Messi’s ratio will certainly decline, though, when he enters the twilight of his career but it may yet improve before then.

This season, for example, he has scored 39 goals in 42 games. As for assists, it is almost impossible to print any reliable statistics. What cannot be argued is that both players created a significant number of goals. Maradona had the better footballing brain, and was much more of a classical playmaker than Messi, but that is not to say that the latter won’t develop even further in this regard in the coming years. Fair Play & Off The Pitch Really this isn’t an argument that should be used in determining who is the better player. Regardless of how poorly Maradona behaved off the pitch, and how much he bent the rules on it, this all makes no difference to how great a player he was. Indeed, in South America, being crafty and sneaky is seen as a major part of the game. If you can con the referee or an opponent and score a goal because of it, then you are tactically and mentally a better player. While on moral grounds Maradona can be criticised for his cocaine addiction, it should not interfere with how he is regarded as a footballer.

The same goes for the media-shy Messi, who despite all his modesty in the press, has had his ‘dark’ moments too. The superstar was caught in a spitting row after appearing to gob at Malaga’s Duda in 2008. He also replicated Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ against England by scoring a similar handball goal against Espanyol. Maradona was often very misunderstood off the pitch, and certainly not the devil he was painted as in the British press post-Mexico ’86. Style Of Play, Technical, Physical & Mental Qualities Of course, there are the obvious comparisons. Both players are fleet-footed Argentines with the God-given ability of gluing the ball to their magical left foot and slaloming past defenders. In terms of skill, dribbling, pace, agility, acceleration, balance, determination, crossing and finishing, there is almost nothing to seperate a peak Maradona from a peak Messi. The weaknesses of both players are similar also – most noticeably the weaker right foot and ability in the air. Messi will point out, though, that he scored a header in the Champions League final win over Man Utd.

Maradona has the advantage in the set-piece department. He was a world class free kick taker, both shooting directly at goal and crossing into the box. He could curl the ball over the wall from close range, mid-range and long-range, or swerve it with power. Messi has yet to master free kicks. Maradona was also an ice-cool penalty-taker, sometimes too cool leading to penalty misses such as the one in the 1990 World Cup quarter final shootout win over Yugoslavia. Messi was more of an attacker than Maradona, who often occupied a deeper role – especially for Argentina. For this reason, Diego was a superior playmaker and probably placed more emphasis on creating goals. Maradona also perhaps had a slightly more natural feel of the ball than Messi, and it is highly debatable whether the world will ever see a player so comfortable in possession as the ex-Boca Juniors hero. As for shooting, until a year or so ago, Maradona would have been far ahead but Messi has improved considerably. This season alone he has scored some screamers from outside the box, including the equaliser against Arsenal last night.

In terms of leadership, there is no doubting that Maradona had a greater influence over his team-mates. His presence on the field was enough to convince those around him that they could beat anyone with Maradona on their team. Diego was a tactical organiser, he would position his men, encourage them and fire them up. Messi is far more of a quiet assassin. It must be recognised, though, that Leo is only 22 and footballers gain their wisdom as they get older. At the age of nearly 22, Maradona was by no means an example to all as he was sent off against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup for stamping on Batista’s genitals. The following year he was involved in the infamous Barcelona-Athletic Bilbao brawl. Finally, in terms of the Big Occasion, it is fair to conclude that both players have mostly performed when it really mattered. Maradona was a star in the big World Cup games, as well as in key Scudetto deciders for Napoli. Messi never shirks a challenge, and for Barcelona at least he has never disappointed, scoring in the Champions League final last year.

Now, he just needs to show his true colours for Argentina. Longevity What makes this whole debate somewhat hypothetical is that Messi is still only 22. If he were to sustain a terrible injury tomorrow and never play another game in his career, it is unlikely he will be regarded as greater than Maradona. A legend is someone who performs brilliantly over a long period of time. It is not the same being world-class for a few years before disappearing from the game. Paolo Maldini is the best left back in history partly because he played for almost 25 years at the very top. This is something that will always go against Ronaldinho. From 2002-2005 the Brazilian was truly unplayable, but he then went into decline and while he has had a renaissance this campaign, it would not be unfair to argue that he was only world class for maybe four years of his career. Maradona was world class from at least 1979-1990. Messi has been among the best players in the world for at least four years now. If he can maintain this current level until he is 30, then he will have matched Diego’s longevity.

Whether or not he can match Maradona altogether is another question entirely. What are your views on this topic? Can Messi go on to surpass Maradona? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think… Competitions Seven deadly sins of football: Maradona punches one in – Mexico, 1986 | Football | The Guardian Foul Play: Seven Deadly Sins of Football Maradona punches one in – Mexico, 1986 Peter Shilton was in England's goal when Diego Maradona scored a goal with his hand for Argentina, effectively knocking England out of the 1986 World Cup Diego Maradona rises above Peter Shilton to score his infamous 'Hand of God' goal against England in Mexico City in the 1986 World Cup. Photograph: Daniel Motz/Empics Peter Shilton Monday 18 May 2009 19.01 EDT First published on Monday 18 May 2009 19.01 EDT Share on Messenger Close There are two ways of looking at it.

On the one hand, after 20 years with the England team and 30 years playing at club level, I don't particularly like being associated so frequently with an incident where the world's greatest player cheated and got away with it. It was the referee and linesman's fault really. However, since I stopped playing I have started doing a lot of corporate work and after-dinner speaking, so I do talk about the story a lot and I tell it in my own way. But that is the only benefit of it. I remember it very well, I have to – its shown so often on TV. He would have been offside except the ball was miskicked towards goal by one of our players, Steve Hodge. Maradona knew he wasn't getting it so he used his hand. The referee and linesman were entirely at fault and as far as I know the Tunisian ref, Ali Bin Nasser, never refereed again at such a high level. It was a split-second decision. He was second best to the ball and I was just getting above him and reaching for the ball. I didnt see it or hear it but I knew the only way he could have made contact with the ball before me was with his hand.

The reaction of everyone around me was the same – hands touching their arms, appealing to the referee. I've never seen him since. I think I'd do a Terry Butcher and say little or nothing to him. The thing is he never officially said sorry. There was some sort of an apology last year, but that was more than 20 years too late. Instead of saying it was the hand of God he could have owned up to it, but he chose not to. It wasn't just me that was angry, it was the whole team. It was the first goal of the game and it came at a crucial time and it ended up putting us out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage. If we had had television evidence who knows what would have happened? I couldn't view it as clever. Even Gary Lineker, Mr Sportsman himself, has admitted he did it in one game. If a player was caught doing it today they might get a booking, but back then the only penalty would have been a free-kick, so why wouldn't you try it?

• Peter Shilton was speaking at an event organised by England sponsors the Nationwide Building Society June 22 flashback - Diego Maradona's Hand of God' in 1986 June 22 flashback - Diego Maradona's Hand of God' in 1986 Yahoo Sports June 22, 2015 On June 22 in World Cup history: Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" helps Argentina beat England in Mexico City in 1986. Emotions at the World Cup have rarely been so conflicted as they were on this day in Azteca Stadium. In their first match since the Falklands War, Argentina and England met in a quarterfinal. This was the day of the "Hand of God," when Maradona, one of the most gifted footballers of all time, used his left fist to knock in a ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. It's arguably the most infamous goal in World Cup history. Later in the game, Maradona scored one of the best.

Picking up the ball around the halfway line, he toyed with the English and through a myriad of dribbles, feints and sheer body strength scored what many consider the greatest individual goal of all time. Despite a late fightback from England, Argentina held on to win 2-1 to make the semifinals and went on to win the tournament. — Associated Press

Question: In which year did Argentina's Maradona score his infamous 'hand of God' goal?
Answer: 1986