Marcelo Ordás is the visible leader of the Argentine group that sought to get the D10S jacket back.
Nearly 36 years after the milestone, memories still return to that dreamy afternoon where Diego Maradona dressed up as a hero and scored two goals against England, to lead the Argentine National Team to the semifinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. anecdotes and memories, but in recent days, the focus has been on the shirt Diego used on that occasion which was auctioned this Wednesday with a record value in London.
The relic is decades in the hands of the former English soccer player steve hodge, who exchanged his jacket with the Argentine captain that afternoon of June 22, 1986 at the Azteca stadium in the Federal District. Just a few years ago, Hodge confirmed that this shirt had enormous sentimental value and that he did not intend to sell it. The truth is the demand for this shirt exceeded Briton expectationsand finally decided to offer it to the highest bidder: he took an unexpected retirement of nearly 9 million dollars.
Steve Hodge in Maradona’s jersey.
The blue shirt with ten silver embroidered on its back and a particularly unofficial AFA shield was intended by a group of Argentines who became part of the millionaire bid. The jacket was already in the hands of an investment group from the Middle East who left Marcelo Ordas, representative of the Legends group and visible face of a group of bidders just seconds away from the repatriation of the historic shirt, empty -handed.
Ordas is at the head of a private holding company the largest collection of used t-shirts in the world, and ordered the Argentine delegation to leave for Great Britain in search of the relic. After running out of opportunities to go through an auction that ended at nearly $ 9 million, the trader declared: “We’re 17 seconds away from being the best offer”.
Marcelo Ordas leads a delegation one step away from the shirt repatriation.
“I’m very sad. I thought we were going to take him. The end of the auction was painful because it was ridiculous. They threw a bombshell that left us out of any possibility, “added the representative of the Legends group, who made these statements in an interview with Víctor Hugo Morales, through his program on Radio AM 750.
A few hours later, the businessman widen a little more around the auction, although this time through the program `Perros de la Calle´, hosted by Andy Kusnetzoff on Urbana Play 104.3 FM. There Ordas even dared to mention those who were part of it the delegation just seconds away from the repatriation piece.
“I traveled to the auction accompanied by many people who were willing to collaborate. We are preparing a joint project with people from Conmebol and AFA. We wanted to exhibit the shirt in Argentina so we could all enjoy it“, Explained the trader, who inevitably showed his sadness at the disappointing outcome of the auction.
The piece was auctioned for nearly nine million dollars. (Photo by Sotheby’s / AFP)
“I also received a call from Gerard Piqué, where I have a very good relationship. He called me and told me: ‘I know what this shirt means to you and your countrymen and I want to work with this number’. wants to accompany“He added. It was not enough.
In addition, Ordás provided some details on how the auction was conducted. “We’re in a private room. Every one of the parties bidding on the shirt has a bedroom. Then, each offer from a call from the auction house. The auction began at 4 million pounds, and When they make the last call we have 30 seconds left“.
“I tried to take the time, to lengthen the sentence until there were 20 seconds left, and there we offer 5 million pounds. When I made that offer, a few seconds passed and we all looked at each other, we said ‘it is ours, it belongs to all Argentines. With 17 seconds left, a bomb fell: they offered 2.5 million pounds more than we offered. It seems embarrassing to me, “he replied.
The shirt auction has reached unprecedented numbers. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP)
In addition, Ordás said why he decided to make this financial effort so well that in just a few seconds it doesn’t end in a happy ending. “I want to return the shirt because I understand that It is part of our culture, our heritage. It is not the heritage of an Arab with a large purse to put it on some shelves of his house. “
“In principle, the auction house does not provide much information. Here, the English press speaks of two funds from the Middle East, which in principle is from the United Arab Emirates. I see that some have hurt me, and all I want to do is get the shirt so the Argentines can enjoy it ”.
To close, the collector made reference to his relationship with Steve Hodge, the same one who a few years ago didn’t think about removing the shirt, and who in the last few hours has become one of the protagonists of the highest sports auction in history .. “It is seen that the sentimental value for the shirt is gone”slipped.
Marcelo Ordas, next to the historic Argentine National Team shirt.
“At the time we talked to Steve Hodge, and we explained its importance for us, the Argentines, return that shirt. He told us he understood, but for him, it was a sentimental issue, and the shirt was not for sale, ”Ordás said.
Source: Clarin