Die heirs of Diego Maradona have successfully halted the auction of a trophy he was awarded after the 1986 World Cup. A French court has ordered the trophy to be placed in judicial possession following an appeal ruling, overturning a previous decision that allowed the auction to proceed despite the opposition of Maradona’s heirs. The trophy in question is the World Cup Golden Ball that Maradona received for being the best player of the tournament. The court stated that there is a genuine ownership dispute that needs to be resolved before the trophy can be sold.
The Golden Ball had disappeared under mysterious circumstances, with Maradona’s heirs claiming it was stolen. They argued that the current owner did not have the right to sell it. The auction house where the trophy was to be sold had stated that it reappeared in 2016 among other items from a private collection. The current owner and the auction house claimed that they were not aware the trophy was stolen when it was purchased years ago.
Maradona’s heirs believe that the trophy was stolen from a safe in a Naples bank that was robbed in 1989. Maradona himself received the award in 1986 in Paris and it later disappeared, sparking rumors about its whereabouts. The sale of the trophy was postponed by Aguttes, the auction house, due to the legal uncertainties surrounding its ownership. Diego Maradona, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60, remains a legendary figure in the world of soccer for his performance in the 1986 World Cup.