(Nanterre) The heirs of Diego Maradona did not obtain on Thursday the suspension of the sale of the “Golden Ball” given to the Argentine football legend in 1986, according to a decision by the Nanterre court.
According to the five heirs, the trophy rewarding the best player of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, given to their father in November of the same year at the Parisian cabaret du Lido, was stolen during a bank robbery in October 1989 in Naples.
But, informed in May of auctions organized on June 6 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine) to sell this Golden Ball, the heirs “did not report any criminal complaint that would have been filed by the footballer during his lifetime”, and only from articles published at the time, underlines the chamber of summary proceedings in its decision.
“Proof of the existence of this theft cannot be based solely on press articles,” she comments.
“We confirm that we are doing what is necessary to regularize an appeal” of this decision, Gilles Moreu, of the Paradox law firm, which represents Maradona’s family, told AFP.
“This is a trophy awarded to a football legend, he is destined to join Argentina,” he believes.
For their part, the lawyers of the person who found the Golden Ball and of the auction house which is organizing the sale on June 6 pleaded good faith.
In a press release, Maximilien Aguttes, director of the eponymous house, recalled that one of the “legends” circulating about the award says that Maradona forgot it at the Lido the very evening of the award.
The former gallery owner and antiques dealer says he acquired it at an auction in 2016 “in the same lot of hardware” made up of hundreds of trophies, most of which had little value, he said. added.
At the same time, a criminal complaint was filed, the court confirmed to AFP.
The trophy which rewarded Diego Maradona in 1986 was awarded by France Football to the best player of the World Cup, but is not part of the Golden Balls awarded to the best player of the year and which, at the time, were reserved for European players.