Live

Highlights on Off The Ball

07:00 AM-01:00 PM

Highlights on Off The Ball
Advertisement
Soccer

World Cup Revisited: Mexico 1986 | Maradona, lovely shirts, Ferguson loses his cool

This week on World Cup Revisited, John Duggan, Dan McDonnell and Johnny Ward look back at the 198...



Soccer

World Cup Revisited: Mexico 1986 | Maradona, lovely shirts, Ferguson loses his cool

This week on World Cup Revisited, John Duggan, Dan McDonnell and Johnny Ward look back at the 1986 tournament in Mexico when Maradona took off into the stratosphere.

It was a summer when the barrel-chested 10 came of age on the biggest stage imaginable.

maradona Argentina's midfield star and goal getter Diego Maradona (l) is passing Belgium's defender Erik Gerets. Argentina's national football team wins the 1986 FIFA World Cup semifinal 2:0 against Belgium at the Aztek Stadium in Mexico City in front of 110.500 spectators on June 25th 1986.

It's hard to look back at Mexico 1986 without the Argentinian genius dominating the conversation.

The tournament came at a point when he was embroiled in off-field controversy as he refused to acknowledge a son who he had fathered as the result of an extra-marital affair - almost 30 years later he would publically state that it was indeed his child.

maradona England's Gary Lineker celebrates scoring one of his two goals with (l-r) Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid and Kenny Sanson

However, we did leave plenty of room to take in the tournament's other highlights, including the exceptional Danish side who represented the country at their first world cup, Alex Ferguson's tournament as he led Scotland to the finals, Brazil and Belgium's campaigns, and a look back at the state of Irish football at the time.

The 'Azteca Mexico' soccer ball which was the official ball of the 1986 soccer world cup in Mexico is pictured during the general meeting of sporting goods manufacturer adidas in Fuerth, Germany, 08 May 2014. Photo: DANIEL KARMANN/dpa

We've been having great fun doing these World Cup deep dives they wouldn't be the same without you sharing your memories and opinions.

Here's a taste of the thoughts of the OTB audience:


Read more about

1986 1986 World Cup Football Show Off The Ball Podcast World Cup