Emmanuel Petit, a key member of France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad, has revealed he has no idea where his winner's medal is and is left 'p***** off' about the loss. The former Arsenal midfielder admitted on The Good, The Bad and The Football Podcast that he lost the medal, along with several other career trophies.
Petit's Candid Admission
When asked about his 1998 World Cup medal, Petit bluntly stated: 'I lost it.' He elaborated: 'Ah, come on guys. It p***ed me off so much, you have no idea. I tried to find them because I moved so many times in the last five, six years.'
The 1998 final saw France defeat Brazil 3-0, with Petit scoring the third goal. Despite the historic achievement, Petit's medal has gone missing amidst multiple house moves.
Discovery of Trophy Value
Petit recounted a signing session in Paris where an organiser asked if he still had items like shirts or medals. Petit replied: 'I said: 'No, I gave everything to charity.' [He said]: 'What about medals or trophies, things like this?' I said: 'Yeah, I have the World Cup trophy, European trophy at home.''
The organiser then informed Petit that his World Cup trophy could be worth between one and two million pounds on the market. Shocked, Petit said: 'What? Are you serious?' He subsequently took the trophy to a bank and placed it in a safe.
Missing Medals and Trophies
Petit tried to do the same with his medals but could not find them. He said: 'I came back home, I took the trophy and I went to the bank and put it in a safe. And I wanted to do the same with the medals. And I was looking for hours, where are they? I was becoming crazy.'
The list of lost items includes Premier League medals, Ligue 1 medals, FA Cup, French Cup, and crucially, his World Cup and European Championship medals. Petit admitted: 'Everything's gone. World Cup, European Cup, everything.'
