32 years later
It is one of the most iconic moments in football history, the Hand of God. The most uncharacteristic goal of Diego Maradona’s career, rising to win an aerial challenge against a goalkeeper, was the one that encapsulated his being better than any other. Willing to bend the rules in any way to drag Argentina through, he excused the handball incident by claiming divine intervention.
Peter Shilton, the goalkeeper who suffered at the hands of Maradona that day, has never come face to face with the Argentine since that day in 1986. However, after much deliberation, Shilton was reportedly prepared shake hands with Maradona and forgive him for the moment of madness.
Irish bookmaker Paddy Power had proposed a reunion between the two legends, giving them the opportunity to call it quits. Maradona, though, isn’t on board with the idea. According to the Daily Mirror, “the word from the Maradona camp was that he refused to do anything with Shilton involved, and that he certainly wouldn’t be apologising.”
“The truth is that I don’t for a second regret scoring that goal with my hand,” Maradona admitted back in 2005.
Speaking recently, Peter Shilton said on the matter that “there’s always been a bit of bad feeling in terms of the fact he never actually apologised after the game and that’s caused a bit of a rift over the years.
“What would I say to him? That would be the excitement of the evening. I wouldn’t want to pre-empt that.”
It seems Shilton may never get the closure he so desires. Suit yourself, Diego.
