Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has finally made peace with Diego Maradona's infamous handball goal from the 1986 World Cup, ending four decades of hurt. The 76-year-old, who played for Nottingham Forest and earned 125 caps for England, admitted it was time to 'put his beef to bed' after recently meeting some of the Argentinian players who went on to win the tournament in Mexico.
Shilton Meets Argentinian Players in Documentary
Shilton met several members of the 1986 Argentinian squad while making a documentary, an experience he described as emotional. 'It's been 40 years since the event. And, you know, I've met Argentinian people that have been very warm and friendly towards me,' he said. 'I met some of the Argentinian players not so long back making a documentary, and it was very emotional really. They were really great towards me. And I think maybe it's time to put my beef to bed. Those are the reasons why I've decided to do it.'
Official Makeup Event at Chelmsford FC
The official reconciliation took place on the football field of Chelmsford FC in Shilton's hometown, organized by Lynx, which flew in its Argentinian mascot—a large hand—as part of the brand's sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Shilton reflected on the power of football to unite nations: 'Controversial moments have a way to pull a nation together, whether it's impactful in a great way or impactful in a subway. Football's such a great sport. It draws nations together, people together. And obviously certain moments, good or bad, stick in the memory over the years. And that's why football has got such a great history.'
VAR Would Have Disallowed Both Goals, Shilton Claims
Shilton also asserted that modern VAR technology would have ruled out both of Maradona's goals in the 2-1 defeat on June 22, 1986. 'If it was around, both goals wouldn't have been allowed. It's as simple as that,' he said. 'You never know what's going to happen in the game. So, who knows what the score would have been. But certainly, you know, the two goals scored wouldn't have been allowed.' He acknowledged that VAR can slow the game down but believes it would have changed the outcome of that quarter-final match.
Shilton on England's 2026 World Cup Chances
Looking ahead to this year's tournament, Shilton shared his thoughts on England's prospects and key players. 'The conditions are going to play a massive part. The first game we played in, it was obviously in an air-conditioned stadium. But when you get out in the real heat, you know that can be very sapping. At least they're having water breaks in the matches, which will help,' he said. He praised Harry Kane, noting, 'I think Harry Kane looks as though he's on top form. He's been playing in Germany, which seems to have developed his game I think. He seems to be playing all over the pitch now. He was in defence of the night blocking shots, he was in midfield and obviously scoring goals.'
Shilton also highlighted other strong teams: 'I think Spain look very good. I think France have got some really good players obviously. Brazil are always going to have a fantastic team from their past record, but I haven't seen a lot of the team. But a lot of teams have really improved by players going and playing in Europe. So it could be somebody who will surprise everybody.'
Lynx Sponsorship and the Grudge Settlement
Zoe Thompson from Lynx added: 'As proud sponsors of the FIFA World Cup 2026, we want to show up in ways nobody expects. Settling one of football's greatest ever grudges? We'd say that's a pretty good start.'
