Diego Maradona used to practise 'Hand of God' goal, claims former teammate

Argentina's football legend Diego Maradona used to practise the infamous 'Hand of God', his former teammate Jorge Valdano has claimed in a new book.

“He had worked on it in training. It wasn’t the first time,” Valdano said in the book published in Germany.

Maradona, who died at age 60 in November last year, was the captain of the Argentina national team when he fisted the ball into the nets against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. The goal later came to be known as the 'Hand of God'. In the same match, Maradona scored another unforgettable goal, ‘Goal of the Century’, dribbling 60 yards past several English defenders to net a crucial goal. England lost the match 2-1, proving Maradona's illegal goal a decider.

Following his death last year, a British publication ran a front-page headline "Where was VAR when we needed it most?" drawing flak from fans from all over the world. A big chunk of British fans are still salty about the 1986 world cup match calling the winner 'cheat'

“When I took corners in training, he would get on the end of it and the ball would hit the net. Some would laugh and wonder: ‘What happened here?’ Others said: ‘Didn’t you see? He used his hand!’," Valdano said, according to a report in The Athletic.

Maradona had a tumultuous career, filled with scandals, and various cases of his involvement with the drugs. However, many say Diego, beloved in Napoli, where he spent the prime of his football life, was the greatest ever to play the sport.

“That’s why I wasn’t surprised when he scored that way against England. He meant it. I could sense some doubt in his goal celebration, and he hinted at it when we embraced. He said: ‘To the kick-off, quick.’ I had some doubts (about whether it would stand). I ran back very quickly.” Valdano notes.