Diego Maradona remembered five years on as ‘goal of the cenutry’ coin released
Memories of when football legend Diego Maradona spoke to the Mirror as Argentina bank bosses put his 1986 ‘goal of the century’ against England on a commemorative coin ahead of 2026 World Cup
Diego Maradona – the ‘greatest player in the world’ – died five years ago today. On the anniversary of his death we recall his emotional interview with the Mirror.
Maradona spoke to me about his early support for VAR, his cocaine addiction and his love of football and his family. As Argentina bank bosses release a special new coin ahead of the 2026 World Cup which commemorates his ‘goal of the century’ it’s a pleasure to recall him choosing to speak to the Mirror back in 2005, in which he spoke of his admiration for England striker Wayne Rooney
And I particuarly remember after our interview had taken place he was about to take part in a coaching session with some youngsters. I asked him what he would say if one of them punched the ball into the net to score and he said, with a twinkle in his eye: “I would say good, very good”.
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And he was years ahead of his time wanting video technology to come into the game – despite the fact it would have immediately ruled out his ‘Hand of God’ goal. At the time there had been many reports of him falling out with journalists but he couldn’t have been. more polite.
He had lost weight, got fitter and seemed a completely different, and much more relaxed, person.
We spoke about his family and he said he regretted not spending more time with his daughter. He sad simply: “I was addicted to cocaine. But life is now worth living again.. I was consuiming myself and wiping myself out.:”
As we finished up I asked him who was the best player ever: “Pele, Johan Cruyff or you?” He immediately answered: “My mum said it’s me – and every one listens to my mum!”
Five years after he died of heart failure at the age of 60, in Argentina they have now issued a special silver coin which has a hand drawn graphic of his famous dribble when he scored against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter final. The move, in which Maradona covered 60 yards in ten seconds and dribbled past five English players, was voted as FIFA’s Goal of the 20th Century and it will be the 40th anniversary next summer.
Just four minutes earlier he scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal in one of the most controversial moments in football history
A spokesman for the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic said: “We issued a commemorative silver coin dedicated to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, whose main motif is a diagram of the legendary play of Argentina’s second goal against England in Mexico 1986, considered the best in the history of the World Cup.”
He added that next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada “will mark 40 years since that sporting milestone.” And he added: “The design of this commemorative coin has a ball going through the coin in the middle, which is a metaphor for the love of football. The upper arch has the words República Argentina and the lower arch has the words Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026.”
On the reverse side the graphic starts with the moment Maradona picks up the ball behind the halfway line and ends with the shot after dribbling past four English players and then keeper Peter Shilton. That goal made the score 2-0 in the quarter-final. Gary Lineker’s consolation goal for England made the final score 2-1.
Argentina went on to beat Belgium in the semi-final and then Germany in the final to win their second World Cup. They had also won the trophy at home in 1978.
The coin is four centimetres wide, weighs 27 grams and has a “reeded edge”. The Central Bank of Argentina said that gold coins with a similar design were made and will be sold around the world.
They also said that the coins will have a symbolic worth of 10 Argentine pesos – around 50p.
