The 20 Most Valuable Pieces of Football Memorabilia in The World Right Now
From MVP jerseys to trophies, any piece of association football (soccer) memorabilia from games and seasons past is worth a fortune. With an estimated 3.5 billion fans from across four continents, there won’t be a shortage of enthusiasts willing to pay top dollar for a piece of history.
Football memorabilia specialist Thiago de Mattos reveals the 20 most valuable football collectibles in the world.
- Football Rulebook from 1863 (USD$ 1.2 million)
It felt more than a coincidence that Sheffield FC, the oldest football club in the world, had a 158-year-old rulebook that’s still readable. Many consider it as the oldest rulebook in history.
- Jules Rimet Trophy Replica (USD$ 348,000)
The real Jules Rimet trophy was never recovered after it got stolen a second time in 1983 (the first being in 1966). Although, by that time, FIFA had already been using the current World Cup trophy in its place.
- Alan Ball’s Winner Medal (USD$ 230,000)
When England won the 1966 World Cup, then-21-year-old football star Alan Ball became the youngest player to receive a winner’s medal. In 2005, he put the medal up for auction to support his family.
- 2010 Adidas Jabulani Ball (USD$ 74,000)
The ball was used in the 2010 World Cup Final between Spain and The Netherlands. The proceeds went to South Africa’s HIV/AIDS campaign.
- Zinedine Zidane’s Predator Absolute Boots (USD$ 37,000)
During the 2006 World Cup, Zinedine Zidane wore a pair of Adidas Predator Absolute boots that was as golden as the case that came with them. As they never went on general sale, Zidane’s boots are one and only.
- Diego Maradona’s Treasure Trove (Value Unknown)
When Argentine football star Diego Maradona died from a heart attack last year, he left a treasure chest’s worth of memorabilia, including football-related shirts signed by fellow football stars, as well as a formal letter from former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. The total value is still unknown, but experts say one of Maradona’s shirts in the trove can go for as much as USD$ 2 million.
- The Most Expensive Football Shirt Ever (USD$ 225,000)
Such an honor goes to the No. 10 shirt that belonged to Brazilian legend Edson Nascimento, better known as Pele. He wore this shirt and steered the country toward its third World Cup title in 1970.
- The Most Expensive Football Collectible Ever (USD$ 773,136)
Pele’s shirt pales in comparison to a cup that dates to the first football cup in 1871 hosted by The Football Association (FA). Its sale in 2005 holds the record for the most expensive football memorabilia sold at an auction.
- Sergio Aguero’s Autograph (USD$ 2,000)
Manchester City FC’s Sergio Aguero is known for his game-winning goal in the English Premier League in 2012 against Queens Park Rangers.
- The Messi-Ronaldo Rivalry (Value Varies)
Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid earn over USD$ 100 million in their plays and endorsements. Fans and the media tend to compare them, resulting in a rivalry neither even wanted. Still, fans would pay top dollar for any merch related to either player.
- The First Panini Sticker Album (USD$ 2,000)
Panini Group, an Italian company known for collectibles, partnered with FIFA in 1970 to release the first World Cup sticker album. The first one sold at auction only had 265 of the 271 stickers. One expert commented that a complete and pristine album would’ve sold for three times as much.
- Geoff Hurst’s 1966 Jersey (USD$ 127,000 in 2000, USD$ 3.2 million in 2012)
The 1966 World Cup was a historic win for England for many reasons, one being that it’s the only World Cup win they currently have. Three of the four goals the team scored that game (known as a hat trick) came from Geoff Hurst. The jersey he wore for the match was sold twice.
- Sherriff of London Charity Shield (USD$ 40,000)
Also called the Dewar Shield after the founder Sir Thomas Dewar, the Sherriff of London Charity Shield was a special tournament that pitted the best amateur and professional football clubs. A 9-carat gold and enamel medal from the 1931 match was auctioned off.
- 1915 FA Cup Final Programme (USD$ 16,000)
Sheffield United and Chelsea faced off in this finals match, the last to be staged before suspension due to World War I. It’s also known as the Khaki Cup Final, given that most of the attendees were uniformed military personnel.
- The Barcelona-Real Madrid Rivalry (Value Varies)
As mentioned earlier, anything belonging or related to Messi or Ronaldo will be highly valuable. The same can be said for their respective teams—FC Barcelona and Real Madrid FC—which have the highest number of followers on social media.
- 1945 Friendly Match Seated Ticket (USD$ 1,000)
The friendly match at Stamford Bridge was between Chelsea and the Soviet Union’s FC Dynamo Moscow. As many as 100,000 people came to watch the game, but only 3,000 seating tickets were distributed.
- Any of David Beckham’s Boots (Value Varies)
Many collectors consider a pair of boots that Beckham wore in a specific game to be as rare as the holy grail. The few that make it to the open market can command a high price, such as the USD$ 37,800 boots British singer and Manchester United fan Mick Hucknall bought in 2006.
- Pele’s Soccer Memorabilia (USD$ 4.8 million)
In 2016, Pele put up his entire soccer memorabilia collection for auction—all his trophies, medals, and other relics—around 2,000 items all in all.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic Man Utd. Home Shirt (USD$ 1,600)
Before joining AC Milan, Ibrahimovic played for Manchester United. He put up his old Man Utd. home shirt at a charity auction to help raise funds for impoverished children.
- Liverpool FC’s Champions Wall (estimated USD$ 20,750)
For a more recent example, Liverpool FC has put up their Champions Wall for auction. Formerly displayed at its training facility, the wall tallies their championships including 19 League Titles.
Conclusion
These prices show just how big football culture is. Most fans would be happy owning just a piece of a player’s legacy, though it won’t stop them from building a whole collection from it.