The day Diego Maradona scored “the goal of the century” and became a villain by the “hand of God”

The first, which Maradona attributed to divine intervention when he had put it in with his hand, was validated by the referee despite the Angry protests from the English.

But the second was a masterful individual play, considered as the best goal scored in a World Cup final match of FIFA Soccer.

The fury over the controversial “hand of God” would have spread much more had it not been followed by that great second goal, Scottish football commentator Archie Macpherson told the BBC on the 30th anniversary of the defeat 2-1 of the English.

“If (Maradona) had not been able to demonstrate his unique abilities, the controversy would have continued with greater fierceness,” he said. “He erased all that with his genius.”

Macpherson was in the Aztec stadium with another 114,000 spectators witnessing the historic meeting.

Remember that England, with Terry Butcher at the center of a solid defense and Gary Lineker, the tournament’s top scorerIn attack, he was playing very well against Argentina until Maradona scored.

“I was fortunate to be at the level of the 18 o’clock line, although very high, in the huge Azteca stadium,” he explained.

“At minute 54, I think it was, Maradona entered the penalty area behind a ball, the English goalkeeper, Peter Shilton, came out to reject him with his fist, two hands were raised in the air and the ball passed the goalkeeper and ended up in the net, “he said.

“I gave it for a clear and legitimate goal, at that moment, although the English players appeared to be furious, chasing the referee with his arms in the air. “

Macpherson wasn’t near a television screen to watch the replay, which, with the technology of the time, wasn’t one that showed the illegal play very clearly either.

However, television producers confirmed to the Scottish commentator that Maradona had used his hand to deflect the ball past Shilton’s gloves.

But, four minutes later, what is considered the best goal in the history of the World Cup came when, in an individual move, Maradona was leaving behind four English players.

“He passed Terry Butcher twice, fooled the goalkeeper – Peter Shilton fell sitting down from a feint that Maradona made – and put the ball in the goal,” he described.

“It was simply amazing“.

The press almost unanimously declared that Maradona had erased with his feet what he had done with his hand.

With that Argentina went to the semifinal and then to the final where it was crowned World Champion for the second time.

However, Macpherson believes that, had it not been for that first goal, which Maradona later described as “a little with the head and a little with the hand of God,” England would have won the match.

“There were moments in which they thwarted the Argentine defense, so they were playing very well,” he said.

“The first goal stunned them and I think resentment gnawed at their game,” he said.

However, there are those who believe that if he had gone to the penalty shootout, Argentina would have won.

Years later, Maradona confessed that, indeed, the first goal had been scored with his hand.

He also acknowledged that his masterful second goal could be achieved due to the “fair play” of the english, because another team would have fouled him to stop him.

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