The Golden Ball, a trophy awarded to Diego Maradona for being the best player of the 1986 World Cup, has been sequestered by French court officials following an appeal by the late soccer legend’s heirs. The court ordered that the trophy be placed in judicial possession after overturning a previous decision that allowed it to be sold at auction despite opposition from Maradona’s heirs.
The dispute surrounding the ownership of the Golden Ball has led to various rumors and theories about its whereabouts. One theory suggests that Maradona stored it in a safe in a Naples bank that was robbed by local gangsters in 1989 during his time playing in the Italian league. However, Maradona’s heirs believe it was stolen from the bank.
The auction house Aguttes, which had planned to sell the trophy at auction, has postponed the sale due to a “litigious climate” and uncertainties about its ownership. Gilles Moreu, the lawyer for Maradona’s heirs, expressed satisfaction with the decision and announced plans to file a legal action to determine the rightful owner of the trophy. French judicial officials have opened an investigation into allegedly stolen goods related to the Golden Ball.
