Maradona's Golden Ball Trophy Auction Postponed Amid Investigation

The auction of Diego Maradona's Golden Ball trophy from the 1986 World Cup has been postponed amid a judicial investigation into the possible resale of stolen goods. Maradona's heirs filed an urgent judicial motion to stop the auction, but a French court ruled it could proceed. The investigation remains ongoing.

The auction of a trophy awarded to the late Diego Maradona that was planned this week has been postponed, according to the French auction house Aguttes. This comes amid a judicial investigation into the possible resale of stolen goods. The postponement follows an urgent judicial motion by Maradona's heirs to halt the auction of the Golden Ball trophy, awarded for his performance as the best player at the 1986 World Cup.

Despite a French court ruling allowing the auction to proceed, the lawyer for Maradona's heirs has filed an appeal. Maximilien Aguttes, in a statement, mentioned that Maradona continues to arouse passions despite the recent court ruling. 'Our mission is to organize the auction in the best possible conditions for both our seller and the buyers,' said Aguttes. He added that the current litigious climate prevents connoisseurs from approaching the acquisition calmly.

The Nanterre prosecutor's office has stated that the court ruling does not impact the ongoing investigation. The Golden Ball, missing for decades, recently resurfaced and is claimed by Maradona's heirs to have been stolen. Aguttes disclosed that the trophy reappeared in 2016 among other lots from a private collection in Paris. Meanwhile, different theories surround the trophy's disappearance, including it being lost in a poker game or stored in a bank safe in Naples.