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In 1982 Britain kicked Argentina’s ass in the Falklands War. Four years later, at the FIFA World Cup in Mexico City, Argentina got its revenge via football. They kinda had to cheat to do it, which made the victory all the sweeter.
--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: June 22, 1986--
Argentina and England already had an intense football rivalry, made more so by the Falklands War, where Argentina said hey those islands off our coast, which are called the Malvinas, you limey fucks, belong to us and we’re taking them back. So they took them back and Britain said I don’t fucking think so and 74 days of fighting later they were reclaimed as a British territory.
On June 22, 1986, the two countries were still not on speaking terms, having severed diplomatic relations. But they’d still hit the football pitch together. It was the quarterfinals; the game contained two of the most famous goals in football history, both scored by the Argentinian team captain Diego Maradona. The first, scored after 51 minutes of play, became known as the Hand of God goal. Because Maradona used his hand. Unless you’re a goalie, that’s not allowed.
Near the English net, the goalie and Maradona both went for the ball, which was high in the air. In a flash it may look like Maradona used his head to knock the ball in, but there is clear photographic evidence it hit his hand. Maradona, knowing it wasn’t a good goal, began celebrating anyway to help sway the referee, Tunisian Ali Bennaceur. Maradona told his teammates “Come hug me, or the referee isn’t going to allow it.” The ref allowed it, the English said no fucking way, the ref talked to the linesman and he said yeah it looked good to me, and Argentina was ahead 1–0.
Maradona saw an illegal goal being counted as symbolic revenge against a detested foe. But there was more revenge to come only four minutes later with The Goal of the Century. It has been referred to as the greatest individual football goal of all time. Maradona was passed the ball inside his own half, and over the next 10 seconds he took it 60 yards through four English players (one of them twice) then feinted his shot on goal to send the goalie in the wrong direction and said haha fuck you you totally fell for that, and placed a perfect shot into the net, making the score 2–0 for Argentina.
The exuberant live commentary by Uruguayan sportscaster Victor Morales immortalized it. “He's going to pass it to Burruchaga ... Still Maradona! Genius! Genius! Genius! There, there, there, there, there, there! Goaaaaaaaal! Goaaaaaaal! I want to cry, oh holy God, long live football! What a goal! Diegoal! Maradona! It is to cry for!”
At the 81st minute England scored, but was unable to get an equalizer. Argentina went on to win the World Cup, defeating West Germany in the final.
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