Former England star burns Maradona with 'Hand of God' joke, three decades in the making
The “Hand of God” is one of the most (in)famous goals in soccer history, if not the most. Diego Maradona scored it for Argentina against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. It’s still celebrated by much of the world, and still sticks in the craw of the English.
Want proof? Just listen to Gary Lineker at the 2018 World Cup Draw.
The former England striker was co-hosting the event with Russian soccer reporter Maria Komandnaya, and Maradona was one of the ceremonial presenters who drew the lottery balls that determined where teams were grouped.
When Maradona drew Croatia to play Argentina in Group D, Lineker got off this crack:
“Yes, Diego has picked out Croatia to play against his Argentina, but Diego has always been good with his hands. Muy bueno con las manos!”
(The Spanish at the end translates to “very good with your hands.”)
Maradona used his hand to beat then-England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to an errant, corkscrewing clearance 31 years ago to send Argentina on its way not only past the Three Lions, but all the way to the World Cup title. Lineker, coincidentally, scored England’s only goal that match.
And he hasn’t forgotten, nor has his country. The moments after the joke were particularly awkward, but Lineker likely doesn’t care. It was a well-delivered zing, and England has to take their wins where they can get them.
Joey Gulino is the editor of FC Yahoo and moonlights as a writer. Follow him on Twitter at @JGulinoYahoo.
