Culture

The football that was at the feet — and hand — of Diego Maradona as he shocked the world with acts of both brazen gamesmanship and breathtaking skill in Mexico 36 years ago has been put up for auction and is expected to sell for at least $2.8 million.

The ball in question is from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England, in which Maradona scored six minutes into the second half by sneakily punching the ball over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton into the net, a goal he said afterwards had been helped by the "Hand of God."

The dramatics of MLS's Decision Day weren't reserved for Sunday's encounter between Austin FC and the Colorado Rapids with los Verdes locked in as the West's number two seed and the Mighty Pids still coming to terms with a fall from first to 10th over the course of a year. 

Erling Haaland mania has gripped the globe and we're only getting started. On Saturday, the 22-year-old Paul Bunyan regen became the fastest ever to reach 15 Premier League goals — taking him all of just nine appearances to hit the milestone. 

Here we are. Decision Day. A season potentially summed up in one moment. For the seven teams whose campaigns still hang in the balance, defeat is simply not an option. For spectators, the tension has been turned up to the max as six of the seven sides play each other in their final games of the season. After 90 minutes of intensity, stress will give way to both elation and agony. As we go into Decision Day, let’s break down what every team is playing for.