A World Cup shirt worn by Brazilian legend Pele has sold for 70 times its estimate at auction, fetching £42,000. The shirt, which Pele wore during either the 1970 or 1966 tournament, was initially valued at £600 to £800. At the same auction, a ticket from the 1930 World Cup final sold for a staggering £4,200.
Auctioneers Stunned by Prices
Auctioneers were stunned by the level of prices achieved. They believe the success of the current World Cup tournament, where England have advanced to the round of 32, helped spark the selling spree. David Convery, head of sporting memorabilia at auctioneers BUDDS, said: "Selling a Pele World Cup shirt for 70 times its estimated value was a very special moment. It goes to show just how much of an impact he has had on the game, and that impact endures with fans today. People are prepared to spend big to own a piece of Pele history."
1930 World Cup Final Ticket
Discussing the ticket from the inaugural World Cup final in 1930, Convery said: "£4,200 is a lot to pay for a small piece of paper, but this ticket represents the start of football's greatest story. Imagine being there for the first-ever World Cup Final. Thankfully, the original owner realised its significance and kept it safe. I wonder what they would make of it selling for thousands of pounds almost a century later."
He added: "The World Cup is one of the few events that can make an entire nation stop what it's doing, and that emotional connection doesn't disappear when the final whistle blows. While a new generation falls in love with the Tournament every four years, older fans love to relive their greatest football memories. That's exactly what we saw in yesterday's auction."
David Beckham Shirts Also Sold
In the same auction, shirts worn by David Beckham during the match in which he was sent off as England captain sold for £26,000. Beckham became the first player in history to be sent off twice while playing for England. He received a red card against Austria at Old Trafford in 2005, and was famously sent off in the 1998 World Cup for kicking out at Argentina's Diego Simeone. The shirts from the 2005 match—one worn in the first half and another after the break—were sold together.
Convery remarked: "David Beckham remains one of the most sought-after names in football memorabilia and these shirts represent a fascinating chapter in his England career, albeit one he'd probably rather forget. To have both shirts together that were worn during the same international match is extremely unusual, particularly when that match is remembered for such a significant moment in English football history. From the visible signs of match use to the literal smell of authenticity, they are exactly the kind of items collectors are looking for."
Beckham was sent off on October 8, 2005, during a 2006 World Cup qualifying match between England and Austria at Old Trafford. He made history as the first England captain to receive a red card. Both Beckham and then-manager Sven-Göran Eriksson expressed frustration, labelling the dismissal "harsh," with even the Austrian coach admitting the decision felt incorrect.
