Top 9 Footballers Who Sold Their Career-Defining Medals
- Think Football Ideas
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 13 hours ago
When you dream of becoming a footballer and rising through the ranks to lift trophies, celebrating with teammates and fans, the medals awarded for those triumphs feel like the ultimate reward. They are proof of moments that define a career.
Yet even these symbols of achievement can be sold when life after football brings financial pressure, family needs, or legal disputes, showing that the line between glory and reality is often fragile.
Top 9 Footballers Who Sold Their Career-Defining Medals
1. Pelé (Brazil)
In 2016, Pelé auctioned more than 2,000 items from his career, including all three of his World Cup winners’ medals. His 1958 medal sold for £200,000, and the 1962 medal brought £140,800. The auction included replicas and the ball he used for his 1,000th goal.
Pele said the sale allowed fans and museums worldwide to share his history and preserve his legacy. Pele scored over 1,200 goals in his career and won three World Cups, cementing his status as football’s greatest icon.
2. Bobby Moore (England)
Bobby Moore, who captained England to victory in the 1966 World Cup and was renowned for his calm leadership and impeccable defending, kept his 1966 World Cup winners’ medal during his lifetime.
Seven years after his death, his entire collection was auctioned, with West Ham buying all 79 items, including the medal, for display. This ensured his accomplishment remained accessible to fans and future generations.
3. Trevor Francis (England)
Trevor Francis, the first £1million footballer, won two European Cups with Nottingham Forest. After his death in 2023, his collection sold for £135,000.
It included medals from the 1979 and 1980 European Cups, his Coppa Italia medal from Sampdoria, and a shirt swapped with Diego Maradona.
4. Gordon McQueen (Scotland/Leeds/Manchester United)
After Gordon McQueen passed away in 2023, his family auctioned his medals. The collection included his 1983 FA Cup winners’ medal and runners-up medals from European finals, valued at £60,000.
His daughter said memories mattered more than possessions, and the sale let supporters enjoy the items.
5. Steve Finnan (Liverpool)
In November 2025, Steve Finnan sold his 2005 Champions League winners’ medal. The decision came amid a long-running legal dispute with his brother and mounting financial pressures.
Finnan had spent years building his career at Liverpool, lifting the Champions League and FA Cup, yet even such landmarks could not shield him from personal and financial difficulties.
The sale served as a stark reminder that for some former players, the medals that once epitomised triumph can become vital support when life off the pitch takes a challenging turn.
6. Gordon Banks (England)
Gordon Banks played every match in England’s 1966 World Cup. In 2001, he sold his winners’ medal for £124,750 and his 1966 final cap for £27,025 to support his children. His earnings during his career were modest, and the sale helped provide security for his family.
7. Sir Geoff Hurst (England)
Sir Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick in England’s 1966 World Cup final. He sold his medal for around £150,000 to support his children and allow West Ham to display it in a museum alongside Bobby Moore and Martin Peters’ collections. Hurst said helping his family outweighed keeping the medal.
8. Alan Ball (England)
Alan Ball sold his 1966 World Cup winners’ medal and cap in 2005. Both items were auctioned again in 2022, fetching £200,000 for the medal and £115,000 for the cap. The sales reflected the lasting significance of England’s 1966 team and the admiration for its members.
9. George Cohen (England)
George Cohen, another 1966 World Cup winner, faced illness, personal tragedy, and financial difficulties later in life.
He sold his medals to manage these challenges, highlighting how circumstances can force even the most celebrated players to part with symbols of their greatest achievements.
Cohen was England’s right-back in 1966, known for his speed and precise tackling that helped secure the World Cup.