Pele’s 1958 World Cup medal set for £500,000 auction

A winners’ medal earned by Brazilian football icon Pele during the 1958 FIFA World Cup is expected to sell for as much as £500,000 ($670,000) at an upcoming auction in England.

The medal is among 450 World Cup-related items being offered by sports memorabilia auctioneer BUDDS, which estimates the collection could generate around £2 million in total sales.

Pele won the medal at just 17 years old after helping Brazil secure its first World Cup title with a memorable performance in the 1958 final against hosts Sweden. The teenage forward scored twice as Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2 to lift the trophy.

The triumph marked the beginning of Brazil’s dominance in world football, with Pele later leading the South American nation to three World Cup titles — a record for any player.

The auction comes amid growing interest in memorabilia linked to the late football legend, who died in December 2022 at the age of 82 following a battle with colon cancer.

Also attracting attention is a Brazil jersey worn by Pele during the 1958 World Cup final, which is set to be auctioned separately by Sotheby’s in New York. The shirt is expected to fetch more than $6 million when bidding opens later this month.

Other notable items in the BUDDS auction include the jersey worn by England goalkeeper Gordon Banks during his famous save from Pele at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, as well as memorabilia from England’s 1966 World Cup-winning campaign, including Banks’ winners’ medal and Alan Ball’s final-match shirt.

David Convery, Head of Sporting Memorabilia at BUDDS, described the collection as one of the most significant ever assembled, saying it represents the largest offering of World Cup memorabilia to reach the auction market.

An online sale featuring shirts from countries participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already underway and will run until June 21, while the main live auction is scheduled for June 25 in Wellingborough, England.