Brazilian football legend and erectile dysfunction advert star Pelé is reportedly set to auction off his entire collection of awards and memorabilia.
The 75-year-old has agreed to put over 2,000 items under the hammer at a special auction in London, held by the Beverly Hills-based Julien’s Auctions between June 7 and June 9. Experts are tipping it to be ‘the biggest sports auction’ ever seen.
The collection spans the length of Pelé’s 60-year association with the game, covering his early days as a 15-year-old at Santos to more recent milestones such as the Fifa Player of the Century he was awarded.
Pelé won the World Cup three times during his career and his replica of the Jules Rimet Trophy is said to be the most expensive of all the items to be sold with estimates suggesting it will fetch between £280,000 and £410,000.
Other (considerably cheaper) items include his old passports and replica shirts.
Martin Nolan, an executive director with Julien’s Auctions, told the Guardian that the entire collection could total between £1.5m and £5m.
“He’s 75 now and this is his legacy,” Nolan explained. “He wants to see these items all over the world in museums and in the hands of people who are going to cherish them and love them and appreciate them for many, many years to come.”
Pelé has already donated many items to the city of Santos and added that he was keen for his collection to seen by many in the years to come.
“I hope they treasure these artefacts and share my story with their children and generations to come. I will also be donating a portion of the proceeds from the auction to Pequeno Principe, the largest paediatric hospital in Brazil.”
