The legend of world and Argentine football, Diego Maradona, visited Tunisia last weekend for the filming of a commercial for Coca Cola. He met former Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur, known for having refereed the quarter-final of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico between Argentina and England. In that match, Bennaceur had awarded a goal scored by Maradona with his hand, the goal that everyone remembers as the "Hand of God". Diego Maradona has paid tribute to Ali Bennaceur during his visit to Tunisia by giving him an Argentina shirt autographed "For Ali, my eternal friend!" Bennaceur offered Maradona a framed photo taken before the kick-off in which they were the two protagonists. (Source: Webdo)
Diego Maradona's ‘Hand of God’ effort is one of the most controversial goals in soccer history. In Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarter final match with England, El Pibe de Oro displayed the brilliance of a player at the peak of his powers and those street urchin tendencies that characterized him throughout his career. Six minutes into the second-half, Maradona passed the ball to Jorge Valdano and continued his run from the left into the England penalty area. The pass was intercepted by Steve Hodge but in trying to clear the ball he skewed it into the penalty area where Maradona had continued his run and England goalkeeper Peter Shilton had come out to meet it. Shilton was favourite to punch the ball clear, however, Maradona reached it first and with the outside of his left fist, knocked it beyond Shilton and into the net. Inexperienced Tunisian referee Ali Bennaceur and his assistant (Bogdan Dotchev, from Bulgaria) did not see the infringement and the goal stood. Terry Fenwick and Glenn Hoddle chased Bennaceur back to the center circle, but their protests fell on deaf ears.
Maradona later said, "I was waiting for my teammates to embrace me, and no one came... I told them, 'Come hug me, or the referee isn't going to allow it". England coach Bobby Robson was in no mood for an embrace. "I saw the ball in the air and Maradona going for it," he was quoted in the Guardian. "Shilton went for it as well but Maradona handled the ball into the net. You don't expect decisions like that at World Cup level". Maradona later claimed it had been scored "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". That was how the goal would come to be known.
Maradona went from the ridiculous to the sublime as he put his team 2-0 up three minutes later. Receiving the ball from Hector Enrique, just inside his own half, he went past five English defenders - Hodge, Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher and Fenwick - before rounding Shilton and sliding the ball in. Valdano was available for a tap in but Maradona finished the move off alone for one of the greatest goals ever scored. Although Gary Lineker netted late on, Argentina held on for a 2-1 win. Tension had surrounded the match because it was the first time the teams had met since the Falklands War, and if the game’s protagonists were playing this down, the media certainly were not. Argentina went on to win the 1986 World Cup, beating West Germany 3-2 in the final, and Maradona was named Player of the Tournament. (Source: World Soccer)
