The jersey that Diego Maradona wore in the 1986 World Cup final was returned to Argentina on Thursday thanks to legendary German star Lothar Matthäus.Matthäus, who exchanged jackets with Maradona at halftime in the final that Argentina won at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico, returned the relic in a ceremony held at the Argentine embassy in Madrid.The shirt will be exhibited in a new soccer museum in the Spanish capital.“It was always an honor to play against him,” Matthäus said of the late Maradona. “Because not only as a player, but as a human being, he has been a very important person. I am sad that I am here alone, but obviously he is going to be forever present, not just in our hearts.”The jacket that Maradona wore against England in the quarterfinals of Mexico 1986, when he first scored the controversial goal of the "Hand of God" and then the one that is considered the best goal in the history of the World Cups, was sold for more for $9 million at a Sotheby's auction in May.It was the highest amount paid at auction for a sports car.Marcelo Ordás, an Argentine soccer collector, unsuccessfully participated in the London auction but later managed to convince Matthäus to donate the shirt he owned.Thanks to D10S!The German Lothar Matthäus gave the collector Marcelo Ordás the shirt worn by Diego #Maradona in the 1986 World Cup final. @Argentina recovered his supreme jewel https://t.co/PPakO7sb3u– Professional Football League (@LigaAFA) August 25, 2022Ordás praised the "generosity" of the former midfielder."He saw what happened in London and highlighted what it was like to be the Argentine who fought for the national heritage in England," Ordás said. Matthäus said he preferred to donate the piece because "money can't buy everything.""Diego Maradona has not only been a great football legend, we shared many years together, I played a lot against Maradona and in the end a friendship grew between us," he added.The German received a plaque at the Argentine embassy in recognition of his football career and his contribution to sporting values.You can read: "VIDEO. Boxer controversially and brutally knocks out his defenseless rival"End your day well informed with the most relevant notes with this newsletterCopyright © All rights reserved |EL UNIVERSAL, National Journalistic Company.In the absence of prior authorization, the publication, retransmission, editing and any other use of the contents is expressly prohibited.