Diego Maradona’s famous Golden Ball trophy, awarded to him for being named the best player at the 1986 World Cup, is set to be auctioned in France on June 6. This will be the first time a Golden Ball has been put up for sale, and while its true value remains unknown, the Aguttes auction house anticipates that it will fetch millions of dollars.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, received the prestigious award after leading Argentina to victory in Mexico. The tournament is often remembered for his iconic performance against England in the quarterfinals, where he scored two goals that included the “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century.” Following his success against England, Maradona scored two more goals in the semifinal against Belgium and led Argentina to a thrilling 3-2 victory against West Germany.
The Golden Ball award was introduced during the 1982 World Cup and has since been won by notable players such as Italy’s Paolo Rossi, Brazil’s Romario and Ronaldo, and France’s Zinedine Zidane. Lionel Messi of Argentina is currently the only player to have won it twice.
According to reports from French newspaper L’Equipe, Maradona’s original Golden Ball trophy was stolen but has since resurfaced among several trophy lots in an auction room. The trophy was verified by Aguttes after an investigation into its authenticity before it was sold at auction. It is now owned by a private collector who plans to display it publicly at their museum or exhibit space.
