By Adegboyega Adeleye
Argentina fans, players and coaching staff kept Diego Maradona close to their hearts on Monday as the reigning world champions faced Austria in their second Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas, with the late football icon’s presence as vivid as ever.
The occasion carried added significance as June 22 marks exactly 40 years since Maradona produced one of the most memorable performances in World Cup history during Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over England at Mexico 1986.
On that day, Maradona scored both the controversial “Hand of God” goal and the legendary “Goal of the Century”, weaving past multiple England players before finding the net. The anniversary is commemorated in Argentina as the Day of the Argentine Footballer.
More than five years after his death, Maradona remains a central figure among Argentina supporters, standing alongside Lionel Messi as one of the nation’s most revered football icons.
