The ball punched in by Diego Maradona for his “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for nearly $2.4 million by the referee who missed soccer’s most famous handball.

The ball punched in by Diego Maradona for his “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for nearly $2.4 million by the referee who missed soccer’s most famous handball.

Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" Goal during the 1986 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final at the Azteca Stadium on June 22, 1986 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Allsport/Getty Images) ...

The ball punched in by Diego Maradona for his “Hand of God” goal at the 1986 World Cup has been sold at auction for nearly $2.4 million by the referee who missed soccer’s most famous handball.

THE England jersey worn by Peter Shilton during the infamous Hand of God 1986 World Cup quarter-final is going under the hammer. Shilton’s grey-and-blue No 1 goalkeeper top, that will for… ...

The first, scored in the 51st minute, was the infamous “hand of God” goal, where the ball caromed off Maradona’s left hand, going into the net. The blatant infraction was missed by the referee.

The Hand of God goal that Maradona scored that day — June 22, 1986 — is still one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history.

For soccer, it is Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” – a sporting moment captured in time, the mere mention of which can conjure up strong emotions among supporters. Such is its legacy, that ...