Family members of the late football legend Diego Maradona’s are now preparing to file a lawsuit to stop next month’s auction of a trophy that the star forward was awarded after the 1986 World Cup won by Argentina.

The Golden Ball trophy rewarding the best player of the tournament had been missing for decades after it disappeared in unclear circumstances and only resurfaced recently.

Maradona, who died in 2020 at age 60, captained Argentina in their 3-2 win over West Germany in the 1986 final in Mexico City.

The trophy is set to be auctioned in Paris next month, Maradona’s heirs say the trophy was stolen and claim the current owner cannot be entitled to sell it.

Gilles Moreu, a lawyer working with the paradox lawyers firm, said he will file an urgent request to have the Golden Ball withdrawn from the auction.

The auction house’s argument is that the person who bought the trophy years ago was not aware it had been stolen.

Bidders will be asked to make a deposit of 150,000 euros  to participate in the June 6 auction.