Hand of God — No Foul Called (1986 World Cup)

The most infamous blown call in World Cup history occurred on June 22, 1986, when Argentine legend Diego Maradona punched the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Despite being watched by over 2 billion people globally, Tunisian referee Ali Bin Nasser allowed the goal, later claiming he thought England defender Steve Hodge had headed the ball. Replays unequivocally showed Maradona's fist making contact — a violation that should have resulted in a free kick for England. This no-call decisively shaped the quarter-final outcome, as England lost 2–1. The error is far more egregious than, say, the non-call on Luka Doncic (#2), because it directly altered the path to a World Cup trophy rather than just a single NBA Finals game. Maradona himself later admitted to the handball, calling it "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." The match remains a permanent stain on officiating integrity, with FIFA's failure to implement goal-line technology at that time costing England a legitimate shot at advancement.