The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, the site of Argentina's Diego Maradona's controversial 'Hand of God' goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, is set to host another England match. The current England team will play Mexico there on Sunday in a Round of 16 match for the 2026 World Cup.
That 1986 match, which Argentina won 2-1 before Gary Lineker scored a consolation goal for England, remains a significant moment in football history. The England squad from that era featured many notable players. Here is a look at what happened to the 11 players who started that fateful game.
Goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who holds the record for the most England appearances with 125 caps, continued his career until 1990. After retiring, Shilton, now 76, battled a significant gambling problem, losing over £1 million. In 2015, he quit gambling and was later honored with a CBE by Prince William for his services to football and gambling harm prevention. He launched a charity called 'Shiltons' Silverlining' to aid gamblers and has also appeared on 'Strictly Come Dancing' and works on the after-dinner speaking circuit.
Gary M. Stevens, the right-back from the 1986 match, went on to play in the 1988 Euros and the 1990 World Cup. He earned 46 caps for England and achieved considerable success with Everton, winning the league twice and the FA Cup once. After retiring, Stevens pursued a career in physiotherapy, graduating from the University of Salford. He later moved to Australia in 2011 to work as a physiotherapist.
Defender Terry Fenwick received three yellow cards during the 1986 tournament, a record for a single World Cup. He made 20 appearances for England and played over 450 club games for various teams. Post-playing, Fenwick managed several clubs, including Portsmouth and Northampton Town, and also coached the Trinidad and Tobago national team.
Terry Butcher, a defender who earned 77 caps for England and captained the team to the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup, had a long managerial career. He managed clubs such as Coventry, Sunderland, and Hibernian. Butcher is also a patron of the veterans' mental health charity Combat2Coffee, following the death of his son from PTSD.
Kenny Sansom, a left-back who won 86 England caps and played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, struggled with alcoholism and gambling addiction after retiring. He was diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a form of dementia. In December 2020, his family revealed his diagnosis.
Midfielder Trevor Steven earned 36 caps for England and won numerous titles with clubs like Everton, Rangers, and Marseille. After his playing career, he moved into media punditry for the BBC and RTE. He is currently the chief executive of Mindflow, a charity focused on mental health in the construction industry.
Glenn Hoddle, widely regarded as one of England's most talented players, earned 53 caps. He later managed the England national team, leading them to the 1998 World Cup finals. His managerial career ended in 1999. Hoddle has since worked as a pundit and recovered from a cardiac arrest in 2018. He is now an ambassador for the British Heart Foundation.
Peter Reid, who won 13 caps for England, had a successful club career, winning the league twice with Everton. He also had an extensive managerial career, coaching teams in England and Thailand. Reid has also worked as a football pundit for various broadcasters.
Steve Hodge is perhaps most remembered for swapping shirts with Maradona after the 1986 match; the shirt later sold for £7.1 million. Hodge had a two-decade playing career and has since worked in football punditry, including for BBC Radio Nottingham.
Peter Beardsley, who played 59 times for England and scored 239 goals in over 700 club appearances, had his career tarnished by a racism ban in 2019. He now works as a football speaker.
Gary Lineker, the most recognizable member of the squad, spent 26 years as the host of the BBC's 'Match of the Day' before stepping down in May 2025. He is also a co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts. Lineker 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.