Maradona's family disputes authenticity of shirt sold for £7.14 million
The family of Diego Maradona continues to challenge the authenticity of the shirt sold by former England player Steve Hodge at auction in 2022.
The debate surrounding the shirt worn by Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England has reignited. Four years ago, the item was auctioned by former England midfielder Steve Hodge for a record-breaking £7.14 million (approximately R$ 44.5 million at the time).
The controversy intensified this week when Maradona's ex-wife, Claudia Villafañe, appeared on Argentine television displaying a different shirt. She claims this is the genuine article, pointing to specific details such as the two shades of blue, the silver number, and the hand-stitched crest.
It has two different shades of blue, the number is silver, and they didn't have embroidered crests. So the women working at the training base prepared the crests as best they could. Claudia Villafañe
The family, including daughter Dalma Maradona, insists that Steve Hodge only received the shirt from the first half of the match, whereas the two historic goals—the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century"—were scored in the second half while Maradona wore a different uniform.
Sotheby's, the auction house, has rejected these claims, stating that they conducted a thorough study of the embroidery and crest positioning before the auction, confirming the shirt matched the one worn in the second half. Despite this, the family's persistent claims continue to fuel doubt over the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold.