Behind scenes of 'Hand of God' photo at 1986 World Cup
At 1986 World Cup, Alejandro - amateur Mexican photographer - shock world by capture legend Maradona score with hand.
June 22 mark 40 years since "golden boy" Diego Armando Maradona (1960-2020) score most controversial goal in football history. At Estadio Azteca (Mexico) for 1986 World Cup Quarter-final, Maradona wear Argentina jersey, help beat England with two goals, include sixth-minute second-half strike to open score 1-0.
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Goal cause controversy because Maradona punch ball with hand. Referee accept result because not see event, no VAR to check. According to BBC, player coin phrase "The hand of God" talk about match: "Goal score part with head, part with hand of God".
Maradona goal stir football community, make press restless. In race cover tournament, almost every newspaper want proof Maradona foul. Few international journalists capture jump, but one catch iconic punch - photojournalist of El Heraldo de México, Alejandro Ojeda Carbajal.
Alejandro Ojeda Carbajal with iconic photo frame, unknown year of portrait. Photo: El Pais
According to El Pais, Alejandro cover many World Cups 1970-1990. Yet, not earn living from photography, no professional training. Main job run dog grooming shop, meet El Heraldo de México director Gabriel Alarcón. Know Alejandro develop family photos, Alarcón invite cover domestic 1968 Olympics, then football events.
Alejandro Ojeda die 1999 age 65. In recent interview, son Juan Carlos Ojeda say Hand of God photo always topic of discussion. "Father say on way back to newsroom, hold camera tight, keep say: 'I have photo'. Though wait for print to be sure, gut feel say capture moment," Juan add.
Speak to El Pais, former editors, reporters of El Heraldo de México recall newsroom atmosphere after match. Photo chief ask for Alejandro photo. All want know if capture Diego Maradona hand goal, but film roll miss. Other colleague present at match miss key moment.
Adolfo Peñaloza - former photojournalist - search for Alejandro, find play dominoes, drink beer in pub where journalists eat lunch. Alejandro say submit film, then find in pocket, rush to darkroom. In darkroom, photo chief happy see photo show Maradona hand "stick" to ball, call director Alarcón.
Next day, photo take front page, title: "Proof", become exclusive for El Heraldo de México. British media want buy photo, but owner Gabriel Alarcón refuse profit. Alarcón only ask credit newspaper and Alejandro Ojeda. Today, photo sometimes credit British photographer Bob Thomas, belong Getty Images, truth unclear. Alejandro son not know why. News sites contact Thomas, no reply.
According to son, BBC offer buy direct from father for $10,000, refuse. Year later, win Mexico National Journalism Prize from President Miguel de la Madrid. "Amateur photographer capture photo is miracle of June 22, 1986," Adolfo Peñaloza say.
Alejandro Ojeda not only one capture legendary moment. Italian freelance photographer Giuliano Bevilacqua capture Maradona hand punch ball from England goal side. Travel to Puebla city cover Spain-Belgium match same day, Bevilacqua realize have Hand of God photo next day.
Diego Maradona (left) in Argentina-South Korea match, 1986 World Cup, Mexico. Argentina win championship lead by 26-year-old captain Maradona at peak career. Photo: AFP
Besides Alejandro and Giuliano, most other photographers only got photos of Maradona's hand about to touch ball, yet still made impact. Eduardo Longoni - photojournalist from Argentina - was one of them. According to Todo Alicante, work came from "lucky accident". Due to traffic jam, unable to get good spot, 26-year-old Longoni stood near England's left goal, where "half of pitch was obscured by net". He stayed highly alert after getting no good photos in first half. As everyone almost lowered cameras, Longoni captured clash between goalkeeper Peter Shilton and "shadow".
"While focusing on goal, shadow appeared. I did not even realize it was Diego Armando Maradona, let alone handball goal," Eduardo Longoni said. He said referee and TV cameras also missed that moment. Todo Alicante called photo feat "combination of desperation, chance, and skill". Next day, photo appeared on hundreds of newspapers. With no social media back then, he did not feel impact immediately but gradually realized photo's importance over time.
According to photographer, he initially did not know existence of photo taken by Alejandro Ojeda. Years later, he discovered it, admitting Alejandro's photo was better. Though both debuted at same time, Todo Alicante said Longoni's black-and-white photo was more popular because color newspapers were not common then. To date, he spent entire career documenting social and political reality of Argentina, but Hand of God remains his most famous legacy.
According to Telegraph, French photographer Andre LeCoq also gained fame from series of photos of Maradona before and after foul. On news site in 2022, he recalled moment photo series was born: "I stood behind usual goal line for photojournalists, followed ball, and watched entire play. Through lens, I saw it was handball."
In same interview, he shared difficulties of working back then, such as carrying heavy equipment, developing photos in darkroom under stands to send back to France. Ultimately, he said he was very happy photo went viral across England. "It was proof Maradona cheated. It did not help English, their team was still eliminated. But somehow, this is important historical document."