The Golden Ball Trophy is to be auctioned in Paris at the world-famous Aguttes Auction House on the 6th of June. The unique item encapsulates all of the memories of that dramatic match and Diego’s finest moment – winning the World Cup for Argentina.
Speaking on the auction of the trophy Terry Butcher commented:
“I would pay 7 million to buy Maradona’s Golden Ball just to destroy it. But joking apart, I would like to say that Maradona is THE best player I’ve ever played against and certainly a contender for the greatest player ever; he really didn’t need to cheat.”
“Steve Hodge my England midfield colleague swapped shirts with Maradona after the infamous World Cup Quarter-Final. It sold for over 7 million pounds at auction, that gives an idea of what the Golden Ball will raise.”
“As you know, I’m strongly opposed to how VAR has been implemented in football, but it would have changed the headlines from ‘Hand of God’ to ‘Caught Red Handed’!”
Butcher and Maradona featured together in the most memorable World Cup match in history, England v Argentina at Mexico ‘86. Maradona scoring his ‘hand of god’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century’ when he dribbled past the England team including a last-ditch tackle by England captain Butcher. Maradona was presented with the Adidas Golden Ball trophy to recognize him as best player of the 1986 World Cup.
Ossie Ardiles commented:
“Seeing Diego’s Golden Ball Award again, brings back so many memories of my dear friend Diego.
“This Golden Ball is the symbol of something spectacular and unique. It marks the pinnacle of the World’s greatest player, the greatest World Cup goal. And the greatest individual performance of any World Cup.”
“It is very emotional for me to be here at Hampden Park at the scene of Diego’s first-ever goal for Argentina as an 18-year-old boy. We could see then he was going to be something special.”
“Diego of course, in time, would become for me the greatest player of all time.”
“In 1986 with the goal against England starting at the halfway line defined him. The pace, the power, the belief and the incredible, unmatched in history, control of the ball.”
“Not only did he have the ‘hand of god’ but he is the god of football. “
“For me he is the greatest ever player in the world’s favourite sport.”
