Authorities in the central state of Guanajuato state claimed on Twitter that the Europa League trophy had been stolen in the city of León, but was recovered soon afterwards, The Guardian reports. The silverware was taken from a vehicle after an event in the city.
The state prosecutor’s office also tweeted a picture of the trophy in a cloth-lined case to confirm that it had been recovered by police but did not immediately provide more details. Uefa’s official website claims that the trophy “remains in Uefa’s keeping at all times,” with clubs receiving a replica - but initial reports, and the frantic search to recover it, suggest it was the original that went missing.
Providing the trophy returns from Mexico in one piece, it will be handed to the Europa League winners after the final in Lyon on 16 May.