Maradona did not find the net himself, but his influence throughout the tournament, including the infamous Hand of God goal and a solo wonder strike against England in the quarter-final, made him the defining figure of the competition.
Argentina raced into a two goal lead through Jose Luis Brown’s 23rd minute header and a well taken Jorge Valdano finish before half time. West Germany fought back late, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Voller both scoring inside the final 20 minutes to level the score at 2-2, threatening to send the final into extra time.
Maradona had other ideas, splitting West Germany’s defence with a single touch and a perfectly weighted pass to release Jorge Burruchaga, who calmly slotted past goalkeeper Harald Schumacher to restore Argentina’s lead with six minutes remaining.
The 3-2 win secured Maradona’s only World Cup winner’s medal and remains one of the most celebrated triumphs in the tournament’s history, built on a mix of individual brilliance and late resilience that has defined Argentina’s football identity ever since.
Photo: Action Images / Sporting Pictures / Tony Marshall
