Diego Maradona scored against Peter Shilton by punching the ball past the goalkeeper
While speaking in an exclusive interview with Bwin, which was conducted by Robert Pires, iconic Argentine midfielder, Diego Maradona, finally opened up on his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
According to Dailymail UK, the former footballer who famously punched the ball past Peter Shilton in the England net when the two sides met up at the quarter-final stage of the World Cup, claimed that he would have been ‘arrested’ for his goal against England in 1986 if VAR had existed.
Maradona claimed he had headed the ball into the net and referee Ali Bin Nassar allowed the goal. The incident became known as the ‘Hand of God’ goal after he commented in his post-match interview that he had scored ‘a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.’
In the latest interview, the diminutive Argentine who also scored what has been dubbed ‘the goal of the century’ in the same game, has now admitted that if modern video assistant referee technology had been around, his punishment would have been far more severe.
Maradona said: ‘What do you think would have happened in the England vs Argentina match of ’86 if VAR had existed?. I would have been arrested. Because you can’t steal in front of 80,000 people,’ Maradona joked.
Pires replied: ‘What 80,000!? The world! Which was it, the left (hand)?’
Maradona raises his left fist in the air before saying ‘this one’. He continued: ‘I did "tik-tik" and I put my head right behind it and (Terry) Fenwick said "Hand! Hand!" "What hand? Goal!!" I tell him, "Goal!!".’