The Disappearance and Reappearance of Diego Maradona’s Famous Golden Ball Trophy: A Fascinating Tale of Lost Memories and High Stakes
In 1986, Diego Maradona was awarded the Golden Ball trophy for his outstanding performance at the World Cup. The trophy, which he led Argentina to a 3-2 victory over West Germany in the final in Mexico City, has been missing for decades until it recently reappeared and will be auctioned in Paris next month.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60, is remembered for his incredible dribbling skills and scoring FIFA’s declared greatest goal in World Cup history by weaving through England’s midfield and defense before beating the goalkeeper. Prior to this, he scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century” in a 2-1 victory over England in the quarterfinals.
The auction house expects the trophy to fetch a high price due to its uniqueness. However, there are rumors about its whereabouts leading up to its reappearance. Some speculated that it was lost during a poker game or sold to pay off debts while others believed it was stored in a safe in a Naples bank that was later robbed by local gangsters while Maradona was playing in the Italian league.
A reformed member of the mafia claimed that Maradona’s trophy was melted down into gold pieces but this claim was dismissed as far-fetched by Aguttes since it was made of gold-copper alloy. Nonetheless, Aguttes authenticated Diego Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy among other items acquired from a private collection at an auction in Paris.
Potential bidders will need to make a deposit of 150,000 euros ($161,000) to participate in the auction on June 6th.
