A remarkable collection of World Cup memorabilia, featuring the 1958 winner's medal awarded to legendary Brazilian footballer Pelé, is poised to go under the hammer. The collection is expected to command in excess of £2 million, with Pelé's medal alone projected to reach up to £500,000. This highly anticipated auction brings together items of immense historical significance from football's most celebrated tournament.
Pelé received the medal as a teenager after Brazil's 5-2 victory over host nation Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, held at Rasunda Stadium near Stockholm. His early impact on the global stage cemented his status as one of the sport's all-time greats, and this medal represents the beginning of his illustrious World Cup career, during which he became the only player to win the trophy three times.
Beyond Pelé's iconic medal, the auction, organised by sports memorabilia specialists BUDDS, boasts over 450 lots. Among these are significant items for English football fans, including the jersey worn by goalkeeper Peter Shilton during the infamous 'Hand of God' match at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Also featured is the shirt donned by Gordon Banks when he made his legendary 'Save of the Century' against Pelé in the 1970 World Cup.
The sale further celebrates England's historic 1966 World Cup victory, offering Banks' own winner's medal from that triumphant campaign and Alan Ball's shirt from the final match. David Convery, head of sporting memorabilia at BUDDS, highlighted the extraordinary rarity of seeing so many historically significant items in a single sale, noting the emotional attachment millions feel to these moments in football history.
An online auction is currently running from 1 to 21 June, featuring shirts from nations competing in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be followed by a live sale on 25 June at BUDDS's Wellingborough auction rooms. Separately, a blue, short-sleeved No. 10 jersey worn by Pelé at the 1958 World Cup is expected to fetch more than $6 million in a different online auction running from 29 June to 16 July, further underlining the enduring value of items connected to the football icon.
This distinct jersey, described by Brahm Wachter, head of Sotheby's modern collectibles, as more than just a shirt but the garment worn by one of football's greatest on the night his reign began, could potentially become the most valuable piece of memorabilia belonging to Pelé. The current record for a football jersey stands at $9.28 million, paid for a Diego Maradona jersey in 2022.