Diego Maradona’s Earrings

Would you buy Diego Maradona’s earrings at auction? How much are those earrings in Maradona’s ears worth? Messi just signed a new contract with Barcelona. He is set to earn a substantial sum of money each week, close to $500K pretax. His national team coach however, Maradona, the legend that Messi is said to replace, is hurting for money.

Or at least Maradona doesn’t want to pay any of the back taxes he owes from his days playing for Napoli. And it’s a pretty penny, try $54 million of back taxes.  As Maradona arrived in Italy to lose a few pounds and relax, the tax authorities confiscated the earrings he was wearing.

What is Maradona to do? He has much more important things to think about these days. But maybe he can hit Messi up for some funds or a loan. The price of those earrings by the way, $5,829. The Italian tax authority, smart as they are, want to auction the earrings off, hoping to get much much more since they were owned and worn by the great Diego.

 

New Diego Maradona Documentary: Rebel. Hero. Hustler. God. 

This almost seems like some kind of April Fools type of story, but it’s true and it’s not the first time it’s happened. Imagine landing in a country and they start taking away your jewelry. Last time it was for two Rolex watches, with a value estimated at $16,194. Not sure if they auctioned off those time keepers too, but they should have if they didn’t.

Hopefully Messi won’t follow the path of his mentor in this light, as in not paying his own taxes in Spain.  But Messi so far looks like a saint compared to Diego. Excess just isn’t his style.

Messi isn’t one to fight, party or cause any problems. And in some ways, Messi might want to stir it up a bit, have that extra bit of fight, go out to the disco in Barcelona from time to time, if he wants to lead his country to a World Cup title some day. At times you see it, a fire, but is it enough to lead his country? He’s only 22 years old. He’s got time.

Maradona is on the verge of helping Argentina not qualify for the World Cup, since he’s the coach. So, he has good reason to be stressed. Again, back taxes are the last thing he needs to worry about.  If Argentina doesn’t make it to South Africa, we may very well soon see him going back to his hard partying cocaine using days. Let’s hope not.

What I hope to see is Argentina qualifying for the World Cup and then Lionel Messi helping them dismantle England in the final.  That would be something. Heck, Beckham could even score off a free kick during the match as long as Maradona and Messi raise the trophy.

In truth though, Brazil looks awfully good and Argentina still has to get to the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo is partial to wearing earrings too.