Argentina relives Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ 35 years on

Buenos Aires, Jun 22 (EFE).- Thirty five years after Diego Maradona scored the ‘Goal of the Century’ against England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Argentinians on Tuesday replayed the moment through their speakers to honor the soccer star who died in November.

The initiative, promoted by the Argentine Football Association (AFA), consisted of shouting the goal at 4.09 pm local time (19:09 GMT), exactly 35 years after ‘Pelusa’ converted the second of the two goals with which Argentina beat England 2-1.

Several personalities and institutions joined this initiative.

“Tomorrow marks 35 years of the most beautiful goal in history! A very beautiful initiative was put together which of course I join and invite you! Let’s all shout it at 16:09! Let’s all shout it together to get it to heaven!” Dalma Maradona, daughter of the former soccer player, wrote on her Twitter account on Monday.

In various parts of the country, Argentinians played the commentary of the goal by Uruguayan journalist Víctor Hugo Morales and shouted the moment from balconies, out windows and from patios.

“The entire course of the day was tremendous. Waiting for the game, waiting for the start of the afternoon for the game to give Argentina what is the greatest satisfaction in sport and one of the greatest ever,” recalled the journalist Tuesday on his Radio AM 750 program.

“Diego is gone. Diego is not here for the first time, and that makes June 22 even more special. And we are going to make it unforgettable. Today at 4:09 p.m., when many people add their voices so that the cry reaches heaven. So that at the same time, in something esoteric, we are all living again that goal 35 years ago,” he added.

In addition, Argentina commemorated Soccer Player’s Day for the first time on June 22, in homage to this goal. It used to be celebrated on May 14 for a goal by Ernesto Grillo also against the English team in 1953.

The initiative to change the date, approved in August 2020, was promoted by Associated Argentine Soccer Players (FAA) and had the support of the AFA.

“Among the arguments that prompted the modification of the date, FAA argued that Maradona’s extraordinary second goal, on June 22, 1986, in the contest won by the national team, ‘is considered the best in the history of the World Cups’ and that it was ‘a true masterpiece, worthy of being remembered,'” said the FAA.

On June 22, 1986 Argentina beat England 2-1 with two goals from Maradona. The first is known as the ‘Hand of God’ and the second as the ‘Goal of the Century’ and was chosen as the best goal in the history of the World Cup in a poll conducted by FIFA.

After that match, Argentina became world champions, beating Belgium in the semifinals 2-0 and West Germany in the final 3-2.

Maradona died on Nov. 25, 2020 at the age of 60.

An autopsy determined that he died of “acute pulmonary edema secondary to exacerbated chronic heart failure with dilated cardiomyopathy.”

There were no signs of alcohol or narcotics consumption at the time of his death. EFE

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