The trophy that went to Argentina’s Diego Maradona for being named the best player of the 1986 World Cup will be sold to the highest bidder next month.
The award, which was once reported stolen, will be sold by Aguttes Auction House in France on June 6.
This is the first Golden Ball to go for auction and while the value is still to be confirmed, the auction house expects it to fetch millions.
Maradona, who died in 2020, won the award after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Mexico, scoring five goals at the finals where he captained his country and played every minute of the tournament.
That tournament is probably best remembered for Maradona’s two goals against England in the quarter-finals.
Maradona out-jumped England keeper Peter Shilton as he thumped in the first goal with a raised fist, which he later dubbed as being scored by the “Hand of God”.
The second was an incredible mazy slalom run from his own half, when he dribbled past five English outfield players, and was voted as the “Goal of the Century”.
The jersey he wore that day, along with the ball from the match, have both previously been sold at auction.
After his display against England, Maradona went on to score the two goals which defeated Belgium in the semi-final and Argentina won a thrilling final 3-2 against West Germany.
The Golden Ball award was introduced at the 1982 World Cup, and its list of winners include Italy’s Paolo Rossi, Romario and Ronaldo of Brazil, Zinedine Zidane of France, while Argentine great Lionel Messi is the only player to have won the accolade twice.
Maradona’s award had disappeared before resurfacing among several trophy lots in an auction room.
Recently it was entrusted to Aguttes, which carried out an investigation into its provenance and managed to authenticate it as Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy.