Diego Maradona predicted he would score what would later become known as the “Goal of the Century” before Argentina’s iconic 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final victory over England, according to his former masseur, Salvatore Carmando.
Carmando made the revelation in an interview published by FIFA on Tuesday as Argentina and England prepared to renew one of international football’s fiercest rivalries in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a place in the final at stake.
Recalling the moments before the match at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 22, 1986, Carmando said Maradona had already spoken about producing something special.
He relayed, “After he scored his second, Diego came up to me, hugged me and said, ‘I told you I’d do it and I did.’ Before the match, he’d said to me, ‘I have to score an amazing goal today. I don’t know how exactly, but somehow I have to do it.’ And that’s just what he did.
“If ever he said he was going to do something, he always would. The same thing happened before a Napoli-Juventus match, when he scored a wonderful goal from an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area.”
Maradona scored twice in Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England, first with the controversial strike that became known as the “Hand of God” before producing a remarkable solo effort widely regarded as the “Goal of the Century.”
Carmando, who spent more than three decades on Napoli’s medical staff, said his relationship with Maradona extended beyond club football after the Argentina captain insisted on taking him to the World Cup in Mexico as the national team’s official masseur.
“In January 1986, Diego told me, ‘Get everything ready – we’re going to the World Cup.’ And so off we went to Mexico together. I was there for almost two months,” he stated.
According to Carmando, Maradona considered him indispensable to his preparations and recovery during the tournament.
He reminisced, “It may have been 40 years ago, but things like that never leave you. To think Argentina and England are going to meet again, well, it’s a historic occasion.”
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Argentina and England have met twice at the World Cup since the famous 1986 encounter—in 1998 and 2002—but Wednesday’s semi-final has revived memories of one of the sport’s most celebrated matches.
Carmando also offered a light-hearted take on Maradona’s infamous opening goal against England.
“Everyone says he scored it with his hand, but that is not true – he scored it with his head,” he said with a laugh.
The former masseur said he remained by Maradona’s side throughout Argentina’s victorious campaign and later travelled with the squad to celebrate their triumph.
He said, “A million people were waiting for us.”
Among the keepsakes from that historic triumph, Carmando said his most treasured possession remains a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy.
“Unfortunately, it’s in a bank vault rather than at home, so I don’t get to see it every day, but it is my pride and joy. For me, it represents Diego,” the masseur declared.
Paying tribute to the late football icon, Carmando added, “The best person in the world, a wonderful man who helped countless people.
“Men like Diego no longer exist.”
Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.
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Source: The Punch
