The Falkland Islands or Islas Malvinas. England versus Argentina. The two are intertwined. Throw in a contentious tie between the two countries at the 1966 World Cup that England went on to win, and it was always going to be a fiery encounter at the Azteca for the quarter-final of the World Cup.
The 1986 World Cup in Mexico was Diego Armando Maradona. A shining moment in a career of shining moments. The match-up against England would showcase both sides of the man, the angel and the devil on his shoulders. Two moments of magic, both sides of the same genius coin.
The claims for the islands of Malvinas, or the Falkland Islands as they are known by the British, go back to the belief that there was an act of colonial aggression in the British occupying the islands in 1833. Argentina believes that it should have inherited the islands from the Spanish Crown following independence in 1816. The war in 1982 was short-lived, an invasion by Argentine forces on April 2nd followed by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sending a naval task force of 127 ships to reclaim the islands in just 74 days. It resulted in the loss of 255 British military and 649 Argentine. In Britain, the conflict helped ‘the Iron Lady’ to win a landslide re-election in 1983, the Falklands becoming a sign of British strength at a time where it had lost its lustre post-Empire.
The conflict would colour the football match just four years later in Mexico. With the war so fresh in the memory, and the heat and beer stirring emotions, there was fighting in the stands. The Argentina players felt it too. They wanted to bring some happiness to the country after what had happened four years before.
What would become known as ‘The Hand of God’ in the 51st minute, ‘The Goal of the Century’ in the 55th minute. Two defining moments.
In the 51st minute, Maradona picked up the ball and flitted past Glenn Hoddle, through two England players and sliding the ball out wide to Valdano. Maradona then floated into the box before the ball skipped up into the air from Valdano’s foot, Hodge took a swing at it and the ball went high into the air above Shilton. What should have been a simple catch saw Maradona rise above him, punching the ball with his left hand past Shilton and into the goal.
Shilton wouldn’t give him an inch, saying he wasn’t out jumped, Maradona cheated for the goal. As soon as the ref and the linesman didn’t see anything wrong, what could the English players do. Post match, Bobby Robson said “it wasn’t the hand of God, it was the hand of a rascal”. It was probably the angriest Robson ever was during a storied career.
The second goal? Outstanding. Some of the English players on the pitch that day have since admitted that they felt like applauding such a great goal. Maradona picked up the ball in his own half, went on a mazy run, pirouetting past Stevens, leaving Peter Reid walking in sand as he got away from him, slipping past Butcher from the inside-right position, feinting past Fenwick on the edge of the box, before embarrassing Shilton in goal for a second time, leaving him sprawled out on the pitch. A moment of mastery like no other.
A Gary Lineker goal in the 81st minute gave England some hope, but Argentina went on to victory and would win the whole tournament. The Hand of God a symbol of Maradona until this day. The best and the worst of him in one match. Argentina (and fans of Anyone But England) still celebrate both goals equally. Peter Shilton still won’t forgive Maradona, and it’s been six years since he passed away.
In Argentina, Maradona is like a God. The same in Naples, his image on every street corner, wall, stall, and restaurant in the city. It’s almost a religious experience to walk the streets of Quartieri Spagnoli or around La Bombonera in Buenos Aires. You never have to wait four years and a World Cup for the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century to be brought up. They are iconic goals for all time.
At the time of the conflict, there was sometimes anger towards those soldiers returning home to Argentina, but over time this has changed and they are now looked upon as heroes of the Malvinas, young men who fought bravely in a war that was poorly planned by the illegitimate regime of the time. The claims for the islands come into political discussion every few years, a part of the political and national identity of Argentina. Whenever the two teams meet in a football match it becomes a hot topic once again.
Even the iconic name for the goal came from the man himself. In the post-match interviews when asked about the goal he said it was scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". An off-the-cuff remark that would have an incredible impact on the beautiful game. Years later, he wrote in his autobiography that it was ‘revenge’.
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