When history asks who scored the worst goal in football, the answer is Diego Maradona. But the same history also states that it was Maradona who also scored the best goal in football. Confused? No, don't be. For this, we need to go back to where it happened and the circumstances surrounding the two goals. Yes, both these goals came in the same game and have never been forgotten.
Rewind to 1986. It was the World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England. Maradona was leading the Argentinians and he was determined to go the distance. Little did one know that this match would take him into immortality.?
The first half saw no goals from either end. Then in the 51st minute, the deadlock was broken. Maradona passed the ball diagonally to Jorge Valdano and continued his run towards goal. But the pass missed Valdano and was intercepted by Steve Hodge who then tried to hook the ball clear but miscued it. It looped into the penalty area and Maradona was after it has he had not stopped running. Keeper Peter Shilton ran out to punch it clear but was beaten to it by Maradona. The Argentine was 8 inches shorter than the towering Englishman, but was able to put it over the keeper with his left hand. The ball entered the goal. The referee allowed it. Maradona later said it was scored 'a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God'. It became known as the Hand of God from then on. England had a right to feel let down.?
?But 4 minutes later another goal was scored, and the sheer brilliance of it all but erased the controversy of the previous one. This one would be known as the Goal of the Century. Hector Enrique passed the ball to Maradona in Argentina's half and then began the 60-yard dash that lasted 10 seconds. He passed 4 English outfield players - Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher (twice) and Terry Fenwick, meaning in all he had to go past opponents on 5 occasions. Then came the finishing to a brilliant run. He slotted the ball to the back of the net and the keeper down on his bottom. A perfect finish to a perfect run. This goal would be talked about in the years to come.?
Argentina would win 2-1 and eventually go on to win the World Cup. Maradona was the toast of the nation and could do no wrong. Hailed by many as the greatest player to have ever taken the field, some see him above the likes of Pele. Be as it may, on that day two goals, totally different from one another, ensured his place in the history books. ??