FIFA World Cup 2022: Greatest show on Earth returns
At its best and its worst, the FIFA World Cup is more thrilling than any other event can conjure up. A live performance unequalled in its vigour and trickery, the thralling geometry of its movement a mere foil to the violent earnestness of its combat. From 1930 to 2022, from Pele to Zidane to Mbappe, here's a walk down the lanes of the history of the beautiful game
By: Madhu Kapparath
1986
The bigger hand of God
In the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals between Argentina and England, the score stood at 0-0. A miscued clearance led the ball near English goal and a jumping Maradona adroitly used his left fist, rather than his head, to punch the ball home. The referee wasn’t wise to the grift and allowed the goal. Four minutes later, picking the ball up in his own half, Maradona dashed 60 yards in ten seconds, leaving four England players behind him, drew down the goalkeeper and netted one of the greatest goals ever seen on the world stage.
