Peter Shilton invited to meet Diego Maradona for first time

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World Cup moments: The 'Hand of God'

England legend Peter Shilton, has asked Twitter users whether he should meet Diego Maradona when the Argentinian is in the UK this year.

It would be the first time they have met since the infamous "hand of God" goal at the 1986 Mexico World Cup.

Officials failed to spot Maradona using his hand to score when jumping for the ball with goalkeeper Shilton, knocking England out of the competition.

Shilton said Maradona has never apologised.

Peter ShiltonImage source, Adrian Dennis / Getty Images
Image caption,

Shilton started his career at Leicester City and played for Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Southampton and Stoke City.

Sixty-eight-year-old Shilton, who is England's most capped player, tweeted: "Heard that Maradona is due over in June I'd be interested in everyone's thoughts on should I accept an invite to meet him I know how I feel but what do you think ??? My biggest debate to date !"

He told the BBC: "There's always been a bit of bad feeling in terms of the fact he never actually apologised after the game and that's caused a bit of a rift over the years.

"It's not the sort of thing you want to be associated with when you've had a career like I've had with 20 years with England, three world cups."

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In 2005, Maradona told his own TV show, external in Argentina: "The truth is that I don't for a second regret scoring that goal with my hand."

Shilton said he had been invited to a series of dinners with Maradona, 57, but, despite most people encouraging him to attend, he is still undecided.

"What would I say to him? That would be the excitement of the evening," he said.

"I wouldn't want to pre-empt that."

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One Twitter user urged, external Shilton "to be the bigger man", while another said, external: "Life's too short and grudges don't do anyone any good".

But another tweeted, external: "I wouldn't. Cheats should never be celebrated".

Diego MaradonaImage source, Glyn Kirk / Getty Images
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Maradona played in four World Cups.

England faced Argentina in the quarter-finals at a time when tensions were running high between the two countries, four years after the end of the Falklands War.

Argentina won the game 2-1 and went on to win the World Cup.

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