Diego Maradona ‘Hand of God’ ball to be auctioned in US, valued at over 10 million dollars | OneFootball

The ball from Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal is up for auction in the United States, estimated at over 10 million dollars.

According to L'Équipe, referee Ali Bennaceur retrieved it after Argentina beat England 2-1 in the 1986 quarter-final at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, where Maradona scored twice.

Heritage Auctions will sell it in Dallas from 21 to 23 August, with online bidding live after a 2.5 million dollar start and a leading offer of 2,650,000 dollars on Friday. The ball is currently on show at the auctioneer’s Beverly Hills branch.

The buyer must also pay a 20% premium. In the US market, provenance is vital and appears strong here.

A 2023 letter from Bennaceur says FIFA protocol gave the ball to the referee, only one ball was used, and he kept it for more than thirty years.

He had assistants Bogdan Dotchev, Benry Ulloa Morera and Idrissa Traoré sign it, signatures still visible on the slightly deflated ball.

Bennaceur sold the ball at Graham Budd Auctions in London in November 2022 for 2 million pounds, about 2.3 million euros. Its current owner has consigned it again.

Heritage commissioned Sports Investors Authentification to compare it with match photography, noting inscriptions and marks consistent with the Argentina-England ball.

Given the moment’s significance, the auctioneer believes the price could surpass that mark. Maradona’s shirt from the same game sold for 9.2 million dollars at Sotheby’s in May 2022.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”