“There is a 1986 Maradona also in Pisa” – Chronicle
by Saverio Bargagna
“If this shirt is worth € 5 million then tell me where to sign: I will sell it immediately, I will leave a part for charity and I will change my life. Bye bye”. Marco Gargani takes an autographed ‘Maradona from 1986′ from a plastic bag. He unrolls it with pride: “Authentic, without a doubt. Preserved according to all the trappings.” It shows the logo, some mud stains still imprinted on the collar and the texture of the fabric. “I received it from Salvatore Bagni, Maradona’s partner at Napoli, who got it from the hands of the Pibe de oro. It is one of the ’10’ that came to us from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, which Argentina won.” Gargani, a well-known Ponsacchino businessman, is one of the longest-lived collectors of football shirts in Italy and is considered one of the leading experts on the Italian scene: “This is why I would like to say that the heirloom auctioned at Sotheby’s in London cannot worth that amount. Otherwise … “.
Let’s take a step back. How did this story start?
“Steve Hodge is an English footballer and he was on the pitch in those quarter-finals of June 22, 1986 when Maradona’s Argentina’s national team. It is precisely in this match that one of the most important pages in the history of football is written : Diego scores by hitting with one hand … the ‘Mano de Dios’ “.
Let’s go back to the shirt.
“At the end of the first half, according to what we read, Steve and Diego exchanged shirts. Today that shirt was auctioned in London for 5 million euros. Too much. It doesn’t stand up.”
In what sense?
“I am a collector of valuable football shirts, but also an art expert. Let’s think: why is a Van Gogh painting worth a certain amount? Because it is a unique piece. But the Hodge shirt is not. male”.
Why isn’t it a unique piece?
“The 1986 World Cup is played in Mexico: temperatures can be scorching, or you can play at high altitudes. How does the Argentine federation prepare? For each game it decides to prepare at least 4 shirts for each color: white-light blue, blue and white . Among other things, different logos are also sewn depending on the color for a complex internal controversy. During the game a player has the possibility to change his shirt at least 4 times. Some are worn, others exchanged at the end of the games. Others remain in the bags ” .
Where do you want to go?
“I mean that of ‘Maradona 10’, of those world championships, there are at least 40-50 pieces”.
Therefore?
“The value collapses”.
How much is it worth then?
“30 thousand euros, I would say. Then, of course, everyone can pay it as appropriate. If someone gives me five million, I also sell mine”.
Has your ‘Maradona 1986’ been worn?
“I don’t know. It is part, as I said, of those 40-50 uniforms prepared by hand by the Argentine federation. It could be the one worn in the match against Italy. It could, however, have always remained in the bag. Who knows … “.