CELEBRITY
MARADONA SHIRT AND PELÉ TROPHY PUT UP FOR AUCTION
Items from the careers of Diego Maradona and Pelé are being auctioned this week, including a jersey from the Argentinian’s testimonial match and a unique replica of the World Cup awarded to the Brazilian legend by FIFA.
Julien’s Auctions have taken advantage of the upsurge in interest in Maradona following his sudden death last Wednesday (November 25) by adding several items to its Icons & Idols Trilogy: Sports auction on Friday (December 4).
These include a ball game used and signed by several Napoli players, including Maradona, during the 1988-1989 Italian Championship “Calcio” season and a framed display featuring jerseys signed by both him and Pelé.
Early bidding has seen strong interest in the FILA brand Argentina national team commemorative jersey signed by Maradona from a testimonial match given in his honour in Buenos Aires in November 2010.
More than 50,000 people turned up to see Argentina beat an All-Star World XI 6-3 with Maradona scoring twice.
So far, bidding has reached $2,500 (£1,900/€2,000).
The most famous shirt Maradona wore, however, has not so far been up for auction, even though it is claimed it could fetch as much as $2 million (£1.5 million/€1.7 million).
It is the shirt that Maradona wore during Argentina’s 2-1 victory over England in the quarter-final of the FIFA World Cup in 1986 – the match famous for the “Hand of God” but which also featured a goal voted the best of the 20th century.
The shirt, currently on display at England’s National Football Museum in Manchester, was given to former England international Steve Hodge by Maradona himself after the match in Mexico City.
David Amerman of Goldin Auctions in New Jersey believes the shirt could well smash records if Hodge wanted to sell it.
“It’s very difficult to gauge [the value] with the ‘Hand of God’ jersey, but I know that the owner was looking for a $2 million private sale,” Amerman told Reuters.
“It certainly could be a possibility, the values have jumped quite a bit in soccer.”
Hodge, however, denied the report he was looking to cash in on the shirt.
“I just find it totally wrong and disrespectful,” Hodge told The Sun.
“It is not for sale.
“I have had it for 34 years now and I have never once tried to sell it or hawk it, and definitely not at the moment.
“I like having it.
“For me it has incredible sentimental value because it was the pinnacle of my career at 23.”
The replica Jules Rimet trophy created for Pelé was awarded to him after he helped Brazil win the World Cup for a third time in 1970.
The one-of-a-kind trophy is among several top-of-the-range items being offered in a joint sale between Sotheby’s and Goldin Auctions, including Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky and Rafael Nadal.
It is estimated that it could fetch as much as $800,000 (£600,000/€670,000) when the auction ends on Thursday (December 3).
That would mark a big increase on when it was sold for £395,000 (£526,000/€440,000) four years ago in London, at a sale of Pelé’s personal collection organised by Julien’s Auctions, when Swiss watchmaking giant Hublot made the final bid.
At the same auction, two of Pelé’s three World Cup winners’ medals also went under the hammer, selling for a collective £340,000 ($450,000/€380,000).
The current world-record price for an item of sports memorabilia was set in December 2019 when Pierre de Coubertin’s 1892 Olympic Manifesto sold in New York for $8.8 million (£6.6 million/€7.3 million), eight times the expected price.
It was bought by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, the President of the International Fencing Federation, who donated it to the Olympic Museum.
-insidethegames
The legacy of Brazilian football legend Pelé has taken a new turn after Neymar Santos Sr, father of Brazil star Neymar Jr, confirmed the acquisition of the commercial rights to Pelé’s name and image through his agency, NR Sports.
Speaking at the Pelé Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Sr said the deal marks a new chapter for one of the most iconic brands in global sport.
“We are proud. I think it’s a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and adapt it to the current era,” he said, describing the project as deeply emotional and nationally significant.
Although financial details were not officially disclosed, Brazilian media estimate the acquisition at around $18 million. The rights had previously belonged to US-based company Sport 10, which many in Brazil accused of underdeveloping a national treasure.
A ‘Repatriation’ of Pelé’s Legacy
NR Sports described the agreement as a “repatriation” of Pelé’s brand—bringing back to Brazil “one of the greatest symbols in the history of world sport.”
Pelé’s daughter, Flavia, attended the announcement and welcomed the move, saying the family had tried—and failed—to reacquire the rights after Pelé’s death in 2022.
“There are no words to describe the emotion of bringing back a brand that embodies soul, humanity, and love. It’s priceless,” she told AFP.
The unveiling was accompanied by an emotional tribute at the Pelé Museum, which erected a massive green screen with Pelé’s iconic logo. A video shared on Pelé’s and NR Sports’ official accounts celebrated the “universal language” of Brazilian football, showing some of the King’s most memorable goals from his World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Neymar Jr: ‘Pelé Was Born to Change Everything’
Neymar Jr, who recently returned to Pelé’s former club Santos and has surpassed the King as Brazil’s all-time top scorer, featured in a promotional video congratulating his father’s company.
“Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pelé was born to change everything,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Pelé never stopped being one of us, and now he is officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”
A New Era for an Underused Global Brand
For years, Pelé’s image rights were more prominently exploited abroad than at home—a situation that drew criticism from the family and Brazilian football circles. The new deal is expected to revitalise the Pelé brand through modern marketing, partnerships, and heritage initiatives anchored in Brazil.
“This is the beginning of a motivating project for us. We are very moved,” Neymar Sr added.
Pelé, who died in December 2022 at age 82, remains an enduring symbol in Santos, São Paulo state, where he played from 1956 to 1974 and where thousands still visit his mausoleum.
With the rights now back in Brazilian hands, NR Sports says the goal is clear: preserve, expand, and enrich the legacy of the King of Football for generations to come.
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Lionel Messi expressed his wish to one day return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Monday, having made a brief visit to see the newly revamped stadium where he spent 21 years of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner, who joined Barca’s youth academy at age 13 and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
Having won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami after two years with Paris St Germain.
Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do.”
Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.
-Reuters
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Argentina has paid a powerful tribute to its greatest football icon, Diego Armando Maradona, by unveiling a special commemorative silver coin celebrating both the late legend’s 65th birthday and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coin, released on October 30 — the date that would have marked Maradona’s 65th birthday — honours his unforgettable solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, often described as “the goal of the century.”
The Central Bank of Argentina announced that the limited-edition coin features a football motif on one side, while the reverse captures Maradona’s legendary dribble from his own half, past five English defenders, before coolly slotting the ball home in Mexico City.
That match, etched in global memory, also produced another of football’s most talked-about moments — the “Hand of God” goal, scored just minutes earlier. Together, those two goals defined not only a game but an era, as Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, their second in history.
“This coin immortalizes a symbol of Argentine pride — a goal that transcended sport to become a moment of national identity,” said the Central Bank in a statement.
The release is also timed to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — marking 40 years since Maradona’s most celebrated tournament.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, remains one of football’s most revered figures. His blend of artistry, audacity, and passion continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.
Across Argentina, tributes poured in from fans, clubs, and former teammates, with many visiting murals, statues, and shrines dedicated to the No.10. In Buenos Aires, street musicians played “Live is Life” — the anthem that once accompanied Maradona’s famous pre-match warm-up routine at Napoli — as a reminder of his enduring magic.
For Argentina, this special-edition coin is more than a collector’s item; it is a national homage to an eternal legend, a man whose left foot and spirit still define the heartbeat of Argentine football.
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