The 1986 World Cup Golden Ball trophy, owned by the late Argentine football player Diego Maradona, was long since stolen but was recently found and put up for auction.
According to the Aguttes auction house, the priceless object will be put up for auction in France on June 6, as reported by BBC Sports.
Maradona received the prize after leading Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He passed away in 2020 at the age of 60.
Sport specialist Francois Thierry of Aguttes auction house verified that the trophy is real, despite several rumors and folklore that it was “stolen by the mafia to make gold.”
Thierry clarified that the trophy was purchased by an unidentified vendor at a French auction in 2016 without his knowledge.
“There were numerous trophies in the case he purchased. After that, he looked it up online and discovered that it might be the Golden Ball,” Thierry said. “He tried to call Maradona and Fifa, but had no luck.”
The late Argentine striker scored two goals in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup against England; one was termed the “Hand of God,” and the other was chosen by Fifa as the “Goal of the Century.”
