Panenka Dedicates Its 112th Issue to the Hand of God

A year has passed since Diego Armando Maradona, one of the greatest players in the history of sports, left this world. The incredibly talented football player has written history throughout his career, continuing to inspire thousands of sports enthusiasts even today. While he had many epic performances on the football field, one moment stands out: “The Hand of God” — a goal he scored at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The event, which echoed loudly throughout the sports world, inspired Panenka soccer magazine to bring a nice tribute to the football player as a way to mark the first anniversary of Maradona’s death. Having inspired an entire nation, the legendary hand is the author of thousands of autographs and dedications written on either T-shirts, postcards, or footballs. Most recently, the readers of the Panenka magazine can get closer to Maradona’s handwriting, thanks to the brand’s idea of printing the pages of its latest issue with the athlete’s own letters.

As part of a campaign made with the help of agency LOLA MullenLowe, the brand’s 112th issue is entirely dedicated to the player, editing the special publication using Maradona’s typography. To help the new font develop “From the Hand of God to the Handwriting of God,” see the light of day, and embellish the pages of the new issue, the brand asked a typographer for support.

Having thousands of signatures and dedications Maradona has given throughout his career as a database, the team managed to reconstruct the characters, eventually delivering a unique font that helps keep the player’s legacy alive. The initiative also holds the potential of encouraging future generations to discover the famous man through his very own handwriting.

Alex López, Managing Director at Panenka, explains: “Maradona never stopped surprising the entire world and for this special tribute issue we had to do the same. The Letter of God sums up that magic that Diego had and that is still alive.”

Nacho Oñate, Executive Creative Director of LOLA MullenLowe Barcelona, continues: “We wanted to do something really special for Maradona’s first anniversary. Something that will remain in the memory of all soccer fans and also encourages people to read Panenka.”

Last year, in a campaign showing its appreciation towards the player, the magazine symbolically sent a ball to Maradona, so he can play wherever he is. Now, Panenka invites anyone who wants to pay homage to “el Diego” to do so by downloading the font from Panenka’s webpage for free.