Diego Maradona's Adidas Golden Ball Trophy
MEDIA RELEASE
Date of Issue: 7/5/24
For further information contact: Peter McLean +44-774-037-1909 peter@prexcellence.com or
Barry Thomson +44-771-700-6408 barry@prexcellence.com
For immediate release, Tuesday 7th May 2024
Diego Maradona
Editor Notes:
The symbol of, for many, the world’s greatest footballer Diego Maradona’s greatest achievement to go on auction at the world famous Aguttes International Auction House-Paris- France-6th June 2024.
Quotes below from Jorge Burruchaga, Argentinian teammate of Diego Maradona and scorer of the winning goal at the 1986 World Cup: Including:
“At that 1986 World Cup, Diego shone like never before or since in his career; it was his monument. We knew we had the best player in the world, there was no doubt about it, we knew it for a fact.”
“My favourite recollection of this World Cup is the second goal he scored against England, which remains the most beautiful in history for me because you must consider the state of the pitch, the altitude, the context between the two countries, and what he managed to do...”
Images provided free for use in connection with this story (links below) including Diego’s Infamous ‘hand of god goal’.
Please publish in the article: for further information see: https://www.aguttes.com/en/adidas-golden-ball-trophy-from-diego-maradona
DIEGO MARADONA’S ADIDAS GOLDEN BALL TROPHY, AWARDED FOR BEST PLAYER AT THE 1986 FIFA WORLD CUP IN MEXICO TO GO UP FOR AUCTION
· A legendary symbol of football history for sale by public auction
· Sale on Thursday June 6, 2024, in Aguttes International Auction House- Neuilly-sur-Seine (Paris, France)
Diego Maradona receiving his Adidas Golden Ball trophy at the Lido in 1986 – copyright Presse Sports (download here)
The Aguttes auction house will offer at auction a piece of world football history on June 6th, 2024: Diego Maradona's Adidas Golden Ball trophy (1960 - 2020) awarded to the best player of the Mexico ‘86 World Cup. This is the most important individual distinction awarded to Maradona for a tournament in which he captained Argentina to World Cup victory, scored the ‘Goal of the Century’ and the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the politically charged quarter-final encounter.
Jorge Burruchaga, Argentinian teammate of Diego Maradona and scorer of the winning goal at the 1986 World Cup says, “At that 1986 World Cup, Diego shone like never before or since in his career; it was his monument. We knew we had the best player in the world, there was no doubt about it, we knew it for a fact.”
“My favourite recollection of this World Cup is the second goal he scored against England, which remains the most beautiful in history for me because you must consider the state of the pitch, the altitude, the context between the two countries, and what he managed to do... He breezed past six players... It was divine. On that day, he created a lasting legacy for all Argentinian sportsmen and women, not just footballers, showing just how much, you have to fight to be worthy of wearing the Argentine jersey.”
Maradona and “the hand of God”, followed 4 minutes later by the goal of the century. This double against England in 1986 put him firmly in the annals of history. Copyright Presse Sports. (download here)
Diego Armando Maradona was named “Player of the 20th Century” by FIFA, along with Pelé, and this trophy symbolizes his greatest achievement and his greatest ever goal.
Since the 1982 FIFA World Cup, the Adidas Golden Ball has rewarded the best player of the tournament, and thus constitutes one of the most prestigious individual distinctions in the world of football.
Maradona received the Adidas Golden Ball trophy at Lido (Paris, France) on November 13, 1986, as the best player of the World Cup. A unique piece in the history of football, this award given to the most emblematic player of this sport, alongside Pelé, constitutes a first in the art market: no Adidas Golden Ball trophy has been presented at auction, until today. The FIFA Museum (Zurich, Switzerland) preserves the Adidas Golden Ball from 1990.
While the Adidas Golden Ball changes design at each World Cup, the 1986 trophy uses the designs of the official Adidas “Azteca” ball used for this World Cup in Mexico.
At a recent auction, the shirt worn by Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup match against England, was sold for a reported figure in region of $7 million. It was sold by former England player Steve Hodge who exchanged shirts with Maradona after the classic world Cup match with Maradona scoring the ‘Hand of God’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century.’ The Adidas Golden Ball trophy encompasses and marks all of that history.
François Thierry, sports expert for Aguttes Auction House says “Used far too often wrongly, the word “legend” fits Diego Maradona perfectly. He is to football what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Michael Jordan to basketball, an icon who goes far beyond the boundaries of his sport. He is certainly one of the most human athletes we have ever known, with his strengths and weaknesses. The golden kid "El Pibe de Oro” (The Golden Boy) also nicknamed "the God of football", is a special case in the history of world football, a raw and instinctive talent, in a career punctuated by strokes of brilliance with both success and excess. The history of football with a capital H is closely linked to that of Maradona.”
ADIDAS GOLDEN BALL TROPHY FOR DIEGO MARADONA AS BEST PLAYER OF THE MEXICO 86 WORLD CUP (download here)
Gold copper alloy with black inclusions in the reserves of the iconic “Azteca” designs
Alleged order from FIFA in 1986
Height: approx. 28cm
Diameter: approx. 15.8cm
Gross weight: approx. 4 kilos
(Traces of friction and scratches, missing name plate)
Diego Armando Maradona was elected “player of the 20th century” by FIFA, along with Pelé. This trophy is the symbol of Maradona in his prime, at the peak of his career in 1986.
PROVENANCE:
Presented at the Lido in Paris (France) by Adidas and the sports magazine France Football to Diego Maradona (1960 - 2020) on Thursday November 13, 1986.
Drouot-Montmartre sale, 2016.
Private collection.
Estimate on request.
Notes to Editors
Imagery for worldwide media use in connection with this release:
· Maradona with Adidas Golden Ball Trophy – copyright Presse Sports
· Adidas Golden Ball trophy – copyright AGUTTES Auction House - Yann Vernerie
· Diego Maradona and the ‘hand of God’ - copyright Presse Sports
Aguttes has agreed free worldwide use of the above images, for your use only in relation to this story. On the basis that the copyright credits are mentioned and you agree to mention in the text or at the bottom of the article: For further information see: https://www.aguttes.com/en/adidas-golden-ball-trophy-from-diego-maradona
Link to the catalogue of the sale: Issue catalogue link
Link to the sale: https://www.aguttes.com/en/adidas-golden-ball-trophy-from-diego-maradona
Further information:
Worldwide football PR
Peter McLean
+447740371909
Or
Barry Thomson
+447717006408
France PR contact
Anne-Sophie Philippon
Worldwide PR
Julian Roup
Bendigo Communications
+44 (0)7070 563958 – info@bendigopr.co.uk
A testimony of football history
Public auction
Thursday June 6, 2024, at 3 p.m.
Slots for interviews: dates to be arranged.
Public exhibition:
Tuesday June 4 and Wednesday June 5, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday June 6, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Aguttes Neuilly
164 bis, avenue Charles-de-Gaulle, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine