Diego Maradona last night issued his first ever apology for his infamous Hand of God goal — and insisted: “If I could go back and change history I would.”

Maradona has never before apologised for the strike — which helped Argentina go on to win the 1986 World Cup.

He cheekily claimed it had been netted “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”.

Peter Shilton, in goal for England that day, is still fuming ... he said recently: “He has never said sorry. I think for a player with his standing in the game, it was very unsporting.

“Instead of just saying it was the Hand of God, he could have owned up.”

But yesterday Maradona finally did say sorry to England’s success-starved fans.