Pele to auction off 2,000 items of his football memorabilia

Pele is auctioning a treasure trove of memorabilia from his personal collection, ranging from his three World Cup winner’s medals to a commemorative silver bowl from the board of Plymouth Argyle.

The star item is a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy presented to the Brazilian legend after his third World Cup triumph, in Mexico in 1970, which is expected to fetch up to £420,000.

Pele, the only player to win the World Cup three times, is selling items collected during this six decades in the game to raise money for charity as well as to allow 'fans and collectors to own a piece of my history'. 

His individual medals from the tournaments in Mexico, Chile in 1962 and Sweden in 1958 are each expected to command more than £100,000. Also up for sale is the ball with which he scored his 1,000th goal, a penalty for Santos against Vasco da Gama in Rio’s Maracana Stadium in November 1969. 

The white leather Drible brand football used by Pele to score his 1,000th career goal in a match that pitted his Santos team against Vasco da Gama, at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 19, 1969

One lot expected to attract particular interest is the pair of boots Pele wore in the 1981 film Escape To Victory, in which he starred with the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Sir Bobby Moore

The ball used in Pele's 1000th game, a friendly between Santos and Interland in 1971

 Pele's iconic Brazil No 10 shirt, worn sometime, between 1970-71

Pele played for New York Cosmos between 1975-77 and one of his shirts from his time playing in the United States will be for sale during the auction in London in June 2016

A brass commemorative medal presented to Pele by his Brazilian team, Santos FC, to honor him after the Brazil national football team won the 1958 World Cup

A white plastic wall clock given to Pele in 1973 by Pepsi. The clock features the Pepsi logo with the word 'Pele' replacing the word Pepsi

 

A pair of Puma brand football boots game worn by Pele in the 1970s. While it is confirmed that Pele wore these boots in game action, it is unknown at what point during his tenure as a Puma endorsee that he wore these specific boots.

A yellow and green satin sash with a gold bullion fringe presented to Pele by the Brazilian Sport Confederation  to commemorate Brazil's legendary 1958 World Cup victory

A white sash presented to Pele commemorating Santos FC's 1961 championship

The gold 1958 FIFA World Cup winner's medal presented to Pele after Brazil won the World Cup in Sweden

There are a number of non-football items for sale, which include things such as elaborate crowns and ceremonial daggers, model ships and jet fighters, to more prosaic clocks, dishes, and freedom-of-the-city keys from various municipalities. 

Personal documents, such as old passports, driving licences and a certificate of military service in the Sixth Group of the Motorized Coast Artillery in Santos will also be up for auction. 

There is a letter from Prince Charles offering thanks to Pele for appearing in a film about rainforests and a football signed by Rod Stewart with the message: ‘Wish you were Scottish.’ Another ball is from the FA Cup final in 2000 and was apparently used by Pele to perform the ceremonial ‘last kick’ at the old Wembley Stadium. The Plymouth bowl was presented after the team from Devon beat Santos 3-2 in 1973.

More than 2,000 items will be included in the auction and they afford a glimpse into the life of the man recognised by many as the world’s greatest ever footballer.