Sawt Falasteen - Argentina fans defiant, 40 years on from Maradona's 'Hand of God'

It was June 22, 1986, Mexico City's Azteca stadium, and Argentina faced England in a World Cup quarter-final grudge match.

The game was dominated beforehand by political tensions following the Falklands War in 1982.

And it came to be defined by two contrasting goals scored by the late, great Maradona, who died aged 60 in November 2020.

For the first, Maradona ran into the box, rose with England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and punched the ball into the net.

To the fury of the England players and disbelief from the watching millions all over the globe, the goal stood.

Four minutes later, Maradona ran more than half the length of the field, beat six England players and scored the Goal of the Century. It was also the match-winner.

Maradona went on to score twice more in the semi-final win over Belgium and lifted the World Cup after Argentina defeated West Germany in the final.

Maradona came up with the infamous "Hand of God" at the post-match press conference, and the phrase went down in footballing folklore.

Maradona and Argentina refused to apologise, much to the anger of the England players, and 40 years on the country's fans remain equally defiant.

"I would not focus on the 'Hand of God' but on the second goal, which is the best goal ever at the World Cup," said one fan at his country's second group game in the on-going World Cup, against Austria in Texas.

The fan, who gave his name as "Alex", said the first goal was acknowledged back home as cheating.

"That was Maradona, I think it is cheating too," said the 52-year-old supporter, who watched the game on television.

"I didn't realise it was a hand at the time," he added.

"But then you guys (media) made a big deal of it, so everyone knows about that.

"You focus on that one, and not the best goal in history."

- 'Amazing' -

Oziel Aranda, another fan at the Austria match, recalls watching the game on television in Mexico City.

"Like they say: in war, in love, and in the game, anything goes," he said, decked out in an Argentina shirt.

"It was cheating, but a win is a win," said Aranda, who is Mexican but supports Argentina, largely because of the reigning champions' captain Lionel Messi.

Roman Castells, who at age 20 was not born yet, called the "Hand of God" goal "a bit controversial at the time".

"With VAR (video assistant referee) now, it is something that can never be done again," he said.

"It was amazing. I think at the time it was clever because they did not have the VAR to see it."

He said both of Maradona's goals that day were "great goals".

"We called Maradona 'the God' partly because of that play with his hand, and he will always be god."

Q.Jaber--SF-PST