9 days to the World Cup: Argentina wears knockoff jerseys on their way to glory in 1986
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Argentina’s championship run at the 1986 World Cup has plenty of lore. But one of the odder incidents came late in the tournament, when Argentina had to sport makeshift knockoff jerseys in order to weather the hot sun in Mexico City.
With Argentina set to play England in the quarterfinals, manager Carlos Bilardo was worried about the team’s uniforms. England was set to wear its all-white uniform, meaning that Argentina had to wear a dark color to distinguish the two; however, the team’s blue uniforms were made of thick cotton, which was unsafe to wear in the heat.
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Goalkeeper Hector Zelada, who had spent the past decade of his career with Club América, suggested that they check the market in Tepito, a tough neighborhood in Mexico City where counterfeit goods were sold. Argentina then secured a number of blue polyester jerseys from the market — fakes, with the logo for Le Coq Sportif (Argentina’s kit maker at the time).
According to the lore, it was Diego Maradona who made the final choice between two kits that were brought back as options.
The kits had to then undergo modifications to fit with FIFA World Cup standards: Official Argentina federation (AFA) patches were added, along with players’ numbers. Argentina’s kitmen worked late to haphazardly sew and iron on the additions, caring less about perfection than about completion. But in the end, the team pulled it off in time for the high-stakes quarterfinal.
Maradona’s approval for the shirts is notable given what he did next: Argentina’s 2-1 win over England was fueled by the notorious “Hand of God” goal, scored with Maradona’s hand, before the Argentine captain followed it up with a masterful, game-winning solo run through England’s defense.
Diego Maradona's jersey from the 1986 quarterfinal, ahead of auction in 2022.
The jerseys themselves instantly became associated with one of Argentina’s biggest wins; Maradona’s jersey later sold for a record $8.93 million. Argentina later went on to beat Belgium, and then West Germany, to lift the World Cup trophy for the second time.
