At Hampden Park, Glasgow—the stadium where former Argentine football superstar Diego Maradona scored his first-ever international goal for Argentina in 1979—the legendary footballer's legacy was remembered.
Two contrasting figures from his footballing journey shared their thoughts: Argentinian World Cup-winning legend Ossie Ardiles, a teammate and friend of Maradona’s, and his most famous opponent, legendary England captain Terry Butcher.
Maradona's 1986 Golden Ball heads to auction
The occasion was the upcoming auction of Maradona's Adidas Golden Ball trophy, awarded to him as the best player of the 1986 World Cup, to be held at the Aguttes Auction House in Paris on June 6. This unique item encapsulates all of the memories of that dramatic tournament, including the "Goal of the Century" and the infamous "Hand of God" goal against England.
Butcher, who famously marked Maradona during the infamous World Cup quarter-final, expressed his admiration for the Argentine legend with a humorous twist.
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“I would pay 7 million to buy Maradona's Golden Ball just to destroy it,” he commented, “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.”
Butcher also pointed out the value of such memorabilia. “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,” he said.
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Ossie Ardiles, on the other hand, focused on the emotional significance of the Golden Ball. “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 and the greatest World Cup goal. And the greatest individual performance of any World Cup.” Ardiles continued, “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," Ardiles concluded. “In 1986, 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.”
The auction of Maradona's Golden Ball trophy is sure to attract significant attention from collectors and football enthusiasts alike. This piece of sporting history represents not only a moment of brilliance but also the complex legacy of a man who, as Ardiles eloquently said, “was a troubled soul, but what we should always remember, this is a boy who beat poverty to become the world's greatest footballer.”