Neville Calls for England to Be Awarded 1986 World Cup Trophy Amid Senegal’s Afcon Revocation. City, Country — March 20, 2026 Gary Neville, former England footballer and current football analyst, has called for the 1986 FIFA World Cup trophy to be awarded to England, drawing a parallel to the controversial “Hand of God “incident and Senegal’s recent Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title revocation. Neville’s statement follows the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to strip Senegal of their 2022 Afcon title, which they won in Egypt.
The decision came after an investigation into allegations of match — fixing during the tournament. Officials commented on the matter. “If the rules are broken, the trophy should be awarded to the team that truly deserves it.”.
The “Hand of God “incident refers to a controversial goal scored by Argentina’s Diego Maradona against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. Maradona used his hand to stop the ball from going out of play, which was against the rules. Despite the goal being disallowed, Argentina went on to win the match and eventually the tournament.
Neville’s call for England to be awarded the 1986 World Cup trophy has sparked debate among football fans and experts. Some argue that the rules were different at the time and that England should not be rewarded for Senegal’s alleged infractions. “
However, the integrity of the game must always come first.”.
The CAF has not yet commented on Neville’s statement or the possibility of awarding the 1986 World Cup trophy to England.
The governing body has faced criticism for its handling of the Senegal investigation and the subsequent decision to revoke the Afcon title. Further details are expected as the situation develops.
