Four decades have passed since Argentina's Diego Maradona scored his controversial 'Hand of God' goal against England during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. The match, held at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, ended 2-1 to Argentina, with Maradona scoring a second, widely celebrated goal minutes after the first. That game marked the last time the England senior team played at the 80,824-capacity stadium. England is set to return to the Azteca Stadium to face Mexico in a last-16 match.

The 1986 England squad, managed by Bobby Robson, featured several notable players. Here is an overview of what has happened to those 11 starters since that fateful day.

Goalkeeper Peter Shilton

Peter Shilton, now 76, holds the record for the most England men's team appearances with 125 caps. He participated in the 1982, 1986, and 1990 World Cups. After a 31-year playing career, Shilton battled a significant gambling addiction, losing over £1 million before quitting in 2015. In May 2024, he was honored with a CBE for his services to football and gambling harm prevention. He has since launched a charity, 'Shiltons' Silverlining,' to support gamblers in rehabilitation and debt management. Shilton also competed in the BBC's 'Strictly Come Dancing' in 2010 and works on the after-dinner speaking circuit.

Gary Stevens

Gary Stevens, the team's right-back, went on to play in Euro 1988 and the 1990 World Cup. He earned 46 caps for England without scoring but netted 18 goals in over 500 club appearances for Everton, Rangers, and Tranmere Rovers. His most successful period was with Everton in the 1980s, winning the league twice and the FA Cup once. After retiring, Stevens graduated in physiotherapy and worked for Bolton Wanderers and Chester City before moving to Australia in 2011 to practice physiotherapy.

Terry Fenwick

Defender Terry Fenwick remains the record holder for the most yellow cards in a single World Cup, receiving three during the 1986 tournament. He made 20 appearances for England without scoring. Fenwick played 455 club games for teams including Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, and Swindon Town. After retiring, he managed several clubs, including Portsmouth and Northampton Town, and also coached the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

Terry Butcher

Terry Butcher earned 77 caps for England as a defender and played in three World Cups, captaining the team to the semi-finals of Italia '90. He played most of his club career for Ipswich Town and Rangers, also featuring for Coventry City and Sunderland. Butcher also had an extensive managerial career, leading teams such as Coventry, Sunderland, Motherwell, Sydney FC, Brentford, Inverness CT, Hibernian, and Newport County. He is a patron of the veterans' mental health charity Combat2Coffee.

Kenny Sansom

Kenny Sansom began his career at Crystal Palace, helping them win the Second Division in 1979, before joining Arsenal where he won the League Cup. He also played for Newcastle, QPR, Coventry, Everton, Brentford, and Watford, earning 86 caps for England and participating in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. After retiring in 1994, Sansom struggled with alcoholism and gambling addiction, leading to homelessness and periods of contemplation of suicide. In December 2020, his family revealed he had been diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a form of dementia.

Trevor Steven

Midfielder Trevor Steven earned 36 caps for England and played for Burnley, Everton, Rangers, and Marseille, winning multiple titles including an FA Cup, UEFA Cup Winner's Cup, seven Scottish Premier Division titles, three Scottish League Cups, and a French Ligue 1 title. He competed in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, as well as the 1988 and 1992 Euros. Steven later moved into media punditry for the BBC and RTE in Ireland and is now the chief executive of Mindflow, a charity focused on mental health in the construction industry.

Glenn Hoddle

Glenn Hoddle is widely regarded as one of England's most talented players, earning 53 caps between 1979 and 1988. He played the majority of his club career for Tottenham Hotspur and also featured for Monaco, Swindon Town, and Chelsea. As England manager, he led the team to the 1998 World Cup finals. His managerial career ended in 1999 following controversial comments about disabled people. After moving into punditry, Hoddle suffered a cardiac arrest in 2018 but recovered. He is now a prominent ambassador for the British Heart Foundation.

Peter Reid

Peter Reid had a shorter England career, winning 13 caps. He was a two-time league winner with Everton and also played for Bolton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City, Southampton, and Notts County. Reid had an extensive managerial career with clubs including Sunderland, Leeds United, Coventry City, Plymouth Argyle, and the Thailand national team. He has also worked as a football pundit for various broadcasters and appears on the after-dinner speaking circuit.

Steve Hodge

Steve Hodge is perhaps best known for swapping his shirt with Maradona after the 1986 match; the shirt later sold for £7.1 million at auction. Hodge had a two-decade playing career with clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, and Queens Park Rangers. He earned 24 caps for England and has since worked in football punditry, often appearing on BBC Radio Nottingham.

Peter Beardsley

Peter Beardsley, once the most expensive footballer in England, played 59 times for his country, including in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, scoring nine goals. He had a successful club career with Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Everton, making 735 domestic appearances and scoring 239 goals. In 2019, he received a 32-week suspension from all football-related activity following findings of racist comments made while coaching Newcastle's Under-23s. He now works as a football speaker, participating in public appearances and events.

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker, the most recognizable member of the squad, became a football pundit and hosted the BBC's 'Match of the Day' for 26 years until May 2025. His departure followed criticism over his social media posts regarding political issues. Lineker, who never received a yellow card in his career, also co-founded Goalhanger Podcasts, producing series on history, politics, football, and entertainment. He scored 48 goals in 80 appearances for England and won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup, scoring six of England's seven goals.