Maradona insists VAR wouldn't rule out infamous 'Hand of God' goal in 1986 WC

Diego Maradona has enjoyed another laugh at the expense of England fans by claiming he would have scored his 'Hand of God' goal with his right if VAR had existed.

The Argentinian - now managing Gimnasia y Esgrima in his homeland - used a radio interview on with his 59th birthday to have a new dig over the infamous left-handed strike which helped put England out of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Asked if he thought his controversial goal against England would have been ruled out if VAR had existed 33 years ago, Maradona told Metro 95.1 show: 'I wish we could turn back the clocks.

'I promise the English that I wouldn't score the goal with my left hand, I'd do it with my right.'

Maradona added - on 'Perros de la Calle', a show which translates into English as 'Street Dogs' - that while technology can be a great benefit, VAR would never be perfect because it was run by human beings.

England have a long history of rivalry with Argentina dating back to the 1966 World Cup.

After England beat the South Americans 1-0 in the quarter finals, manager Alf Ramsey refused to allow his players to swap shirts with their opponents and later described the Argentines as 'animals'.

The two sides met again at Mexico 1986 - with the 1982 Falklands War fresh in the minds of many Argentina fans - and Maradona´s infamous handled goal helped Argentina win the quarter final match 2-1.

Maradona´s second - an astounding dribble from Argentina's half - is still regarded by many as the greatest goal of all time.

The nations' second round World Cup match in France in 1998 was also mired in controversy - as David Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone and England lost in a penalty shootout.

However, Beckham and England had their revenge in the 2002 World Cup when they beat Argentina in the group stages.

The Manchester United and Real Madrid icon scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot and Argentina were knocked out in the first round.

In January Maradona, now managing in the Argentinian city of La Plata, used a game of football with his six-year-old son Diego Fernando to have a dig at the England defenders he left for dead with his 1986 World Cup wonder goal after his Hand of God strike.

The former Naples and Barcelona star could not resist harking back to one of the highlight goals of his career in a message alongside a video of him playing catch with the youngster at his home in a gated neighbourhood in Nordelta near Buenos Aires

He posted an historic audio recording on his Instagram page of Argentinian TV commentator Victor Hugo Morales describing him dribbling the ball past half the England team and wrote: 'He dodged me as if I was an England defender.'

Argentina's former manager Carlos Bilardo retold the story of Argentina's 1986 World Cup win in a book called 'Asi Ganamos' - 'How We Won' in English.

Last year he insisted when asked about Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal: 'For me it was a goal. I believe Diego.'

On Maradona's historic second goal in that match, he said: 'It was beautiful due to the way everything started and how he finished it.

'He started to progress, got rid of one player then another, and I wasn't expecting that ending. I thought he would shoot but he didn't.'

The shirt Maradona wore is owned by former Nottingham Forest midfielder Steve Hodge who swapped shirts with the Argentinian after the match.

Hodge played a back pass to England goalie Peter Shilton which led to Maradona's first goal.

Shilton admitted earlier this year he boycotted the premiere of a new documentary about Diego Maradona, claiming at the time: 'I've got more important things to do…like playing darts.'