Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy from the 1986 World Cup has been discovered and will be sold at an auction in Paris next month, according to Aguttes. The trophy, which was missing for decades, had led to numerous rumors about its whereabouts. Some believed it was lost during a poker game or sold to settle debts, while others speculated that it was melted down into gold pieces by the mafia.
However, a reformed member of the mafia claimed that the trophy was actually stolen by local criminals in Naples in 1989 when Maradona was playing in the Italian league. The trophy reappeared in 2016 among other items acquired from a private collection at an auction in Paris and was thoroughly investigated and confirmed as being Diego Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy.
The auction house anticipates that the trophy will fetch millions of dollars due to its uniqueness and historical significance. It was awarded to Maradona for his outstanding performance at the tournament, where he led Argentina to a 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final in Mexico City. Prior to that, he scored two controversial goals – “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” – against England in the quarterfinals.
François Thierry, a sports expert at Aguttes, described the 1986 World Cup as one of the most significant tournaments in soccer history. He noted that Maradona exhibited his incredible skills with both his feet and his hands during the competition, showcasing his talent to the world and leaving a lasting impact on soccer history. In fact, FIFA later declared one of Maradona’s goals as being among the greatest ever scored in World Cup history.
Bidders interested in participating in the June 6 auction will be required to make a deposit of 150,000 euros ($161,000).
