Lock of Maradona's hair on sale for $52,000, but his Dubai barber refuses to endorse authenticity

Maradona's hairdresser during his time in the emirate disputes claims that the lock was clipped while he was living on The Palm Jumeirah

Barber Mohamed Mir Ebrahim, who cut Diego Maradona's hair, at his shop in Business Bay, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A lock of hair said to have been clipped from the head of football great Diego Maradona during his decade in Dubai has gone on sale for $52,000.

Maradona died from a heart attack in Tigre, Argentina, in 2020 – two years after leaving the UAE after stints as manager of the Al Wasl and Fujairah clubs, as well as an ambassadorial role with Dubai Sports Council. A glittering career with Argentina and Napoli ensured he would be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time.

Since his death, that legacy has created an industry among those with claims to the superstar, hoping to profit from the great man’s God-like status around the world. A shirt worn by Maradona in the 1986 World Cup clash with England in Mexico, in which his “Hand of God” goal secured a famous win, sold for $7 million.

Meanwhile, the Golden Ball awarded to him as the tournament's best player is also up for sale by French auction house Aguttes. It is one of a number of lots relating to the Argentinian, which include a signed national team shirt and intriguingly, the framed lock of hair, claimed to have been shorn in Maradona’s Palm Jumeirah home.

Since the auction in December was announced the celebrity barber who became part of Maradona’s inner circle during his time in Dubai, has issued a statement, questioning whether the hair is genuine. Mohamad Mir Ebrahim, known as Barber Mo, has lived in Dubai for 20 years and was recommended as a private barber for Maradona by his assistant.

“I was told Diego wanted an artist, and had been looking for somebody who could cut his hair a certain way,” he said. “When I heard Maradona wanted to book an appointment, I thought I would never get a better opportunity.

“I have had a lot of celebrities, and know how to treat them well. But my home service is always exclusive and respectful, I am not in this to be famous. When I was visiting Diego for a haircut, I was always alone.”

Celebrity barber

Mr Ebrahim has since become a barber to the stars, offering cuts and trims to rappers, film stars and footballers passing through Dubai from his Skills barbershop in Business Bay. He usually charges around Dh500 for a haircut.

He said he paid several visits to cut Maradona's hair at his private villa. Despite Maradona not speaking English, the pair communicated through broken language and gestures.

“When I went to his house and he saw the service I provided, he was hugging me and wouldn’t let me leave without a gift,” said Mr Ebrahim. “He took me to a locker and said I could choose anything, so I picked out a Maradona Adidas jersey, the one he was wearing with Argentina. That’s how our relationship began.”

After Maradona died, Mr Ebrahim, from Syria, mounted the tools he used for his haircuts next to the national shirt he had been given. He also contacted a Syrian artist who shaped a hand from marble and engraved it, recreating the famous Hand of God. Both are on display in Mr Ebrahim’s salon.

Authenticity

Before the auction, Mr Ebrahim was contacted by Stefano Ceci, a friend of Maradona and some-time manager of the star, who also lived in Dubai. He said he was asked to record a video, explaining his link to the footballer to corroborate the authenticity of the hair clipping.

Mr Ebrahim agreed, but only if a scientific DNA report could be produced, confirming the hair belonged to Maradona.

When that failed to materialise, Mr Ebrahim refused to personally endorse the lot, and has since distanced himself from the auction in an online post, in which he said he was “unable to validate the authenticity of any items”.

Verification of authenticity is a crucial aspect of the auction industry to protect buyers and guard against fraud. It can also protect sellers from future legal disputes and reputational damage. Expert opinion, involving specialist knowledge is the most traditional and widely used form of verification.

Scientific testing using X-ray, infrared, ultraviolet, radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence and DNA techniques is a more modern method. Items can also be verified digitally, using blockchain, artificial intelligence, online databases and registries, and biometrics to identify the validity of items by confirming owner history.

François Thierry, a sports specialist at Aguttes, said a DNA test on the hair was not possible as they could not cross-reference it with a sample from Maradona.

“The only thing we have is that it is from his best friend of 20 years,” he said. “Stefano Ceci was living with Maradona and did everything with him.

“We have a lot of pictures of Maradona with haircuts, and a lot of hair on the floor. We have also pictures with Stefano at the hair salon. Stefano has given us a lot of items, which are unique.

“But we also have more items not in the catalogue for a future auction. Everything we have is from [Stefano] and he was very special to Diego Maradona. We have no worries about that.”

Mr Thierry said the Golden Ball won by Maradona is likely to be auctioned next year, once a legal wrangle with the player’s family is resolved in court.

Hair-raising sales

The expected price for the lock of hair was driven by previous, similar auctions. A three-inch lock of hair from revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who died in 1967, sold for $100,000 at auction in Dallas, US, 40 years later.

Locks of hair of US President John F Kennedy, Elvis Presley, Beethoven, David Bowie, Marilyn Monroe and Justin Bieber have also been sold.

Mr Ceci told The National he obtained the lock of Maradona’s hair in 2018, and that a percentage of the auction’s proceeds would go to charity.

“I collected the hair here in Dubai, at his house between the many visits Diego had with his hairdressers,” he said. “I kept the hair, and now it has been decided to auction it.

“The hair cannot be authenticated with DNA because hair with DNA must be extracted to obtain the bulb, and these are hairs cut from Maradona's head. The authenticity is given by me. I was at Maradona's side for 20 years, so the hair collected by me can only be Maradona’s.”