Diego Maradona’s Lost Golden Ball Trophy Reappears: Paris Auction House Prepares to Sell Unique Trophy

Diego Maradona’s missing Golden Ball trophy from the 1986 World Cup has resurfaced and will be auctioned in Paris next month, according to the Aguttes house. The trophy, which was awarded to Maradona for his outstanding performance at the tournament, had been lost for decades, leading to various rumors about its whereabouts.

Maradona led Argentina to a 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final in Mexico City, scoring the controversial “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century” in a 2-1 win over England in the quarterfinals. The auction house anticipates that the trophy will fetch millions of dollars due to its uniqueness.

The trophy reappeared in 2016 among other items acquired from a private collection at an auction in Paris, according to Aguttes. It was thoroughly investigated and confirmed to be Diego Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy. Bidders interested in participating in the June 6 auction will be required to make a deposit of 150,000 euros ($161,000).

François Thierry, a sports expert at Aguttes, described the 1986 World Cup as a tournament where Maradona exhibited his incredible skills with both his feet and his hands. It was a competition that showcased Maradona’s talent to the world and left a lasting impact on soccer history, leading FIFA to later declare one of his goals as the greatest in World Cup history.