A passionate football fan has unveiled his staggering £30,000 collection of football shirts, amassed over more than a decade, featuring a rare Paul Gascoigne England kit valued at over £1,000. Kyle Ashman, an influencer, has urged Britons to search their cupboards for forgotten football shirts that could be worth a fortune.
Kyle's collection includes over 300 shirts, from Gascoigne's iconic Italia '90 England shirt to Lionel Messi's World Cup-winning Argentina top. Gascoigne's number 19 from the 1990 World Cup is the nation's most popular kit, according to NeedToKnow.
With football fever gripping the globe, Kyle has revealed the most expensive shirts that might be hiding in garages. He said: 'Any football shirt from before the early 2000s in an adult size is worth checking. People are often surprised by how much some of these shirts can be worth, especially if they're in good condition. Football shirts have become so much more than just matchday clothing. They're collectibles tied to memories, culture and huge moments in football history. Some shirts that used to sit forgotten in wardrobes are now worth serious money.'
Gascoigne's iconic kit can fetch up to £1,200, while Zinedine Zidane's 1998 World Cup winners shirt can sell for £1,500. However, both are surpassed by Messi's Argentina shirt, which can reach £3,000. Kyle, who collaborated with Compare the Market, has listed the top 10 retro international shirts that could be worth thousands:
- Paul Gascoigne - England 1990 Home Shirt #19 - £250-£1,200
- David Beckham - England 1998 Home Shirt #7 - £100-£900
- David Seaman - England Euro 96 Goalkeeper Shirt #1 - £150-£500
- Gareth Southgate - England 1996 Away Shirt #6 - £150-£600
- Ronaldo Nazário - Brazil 2002 Home Shirt #9 - £300-£1,200
- Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal 2006 Home Shirt #17 - £250-£900
- Lionel Messi - Argentina 2022 Home Shirt #10 - £500-£3,000
- Zinedine Zidane - France 1998 Home Shirt #10 - £400-£1,500
- Jay-Jay Okocha - Nigeria 1998 Home Shirt #10 - £200-£1,000
- Davor Suker - Croatia 1998 Home Shirt #9 - £200-£1,000
Kyle added: 'Retro shirts have become hugely popular again because they're tied to football history. The designs were unique, the fits were different and many of those styles have come back into fashion. Around major tournaments, people also love wearing classic shirts to represent their country.'
His most prized possession is a signed Ruud Gullit Sampdoria away shirt from 1993-95, worth an estimated £600. As shirt values skyrocket, Kyle advises collectors to consider contents insurance, as replacement costs could be astronomical, with policies starting at £57 per year. He said: 'Some of my shirts are extremely difficult to find today and many would cost at least double what I originally paid for them. Replacing a collection like that would be incredibly expensive.'
Amy Rootham, Home Insurance Expert from Compare the Market, commented: 'As collectibles increase in value, many people may not realise the potential value of their possessions and the importance of declaring them on their contents insurance. Retro football shirts can hold both significant financial and sentimental value, so it's important people regularly review their home contents cover to ensure valuable belongings are properly protected.'
For football fans wanting to check their lofts, garages and wardrobes for potential money makers, here are five top tips for checking kits:
- Check the manufacturer tags carefully: Brands and kit manufacturers, such as Vintage Umbro, Adidas and Nike tags, differ significantly by era - incorrect fonts or modern-style labels are a major red flag.
- Inspect stitching and construction quality: Original shirts typically feature cleaner, tighter stitching and era-specific construction methods not found in replicas.
- Analyse badge and sponsor printing: Fakes often have slightly off colours, incorrect spacing, or overly glossy prints compared to originals.
- Verify sizing and era consistency: Many counterfeit shirts use modern sizing labels or incorrect formatting not used in the 90s and early 2000s.
- Review your insurance cover: Make sure your home contents insurance reflects the true value of your possessions, not just what they cost originally.
