If Wolstenholme’s words were legendary, then a similar claim can be made for the onfield talents of the wearer of this shirt: Pelé. But it was not the Brazilian star who benefited from the sale of this unique piece of soccer history, rather it was the man with whom he swapped shirts at the end of the celebrated 1970 World Cup Final against Italy at the Azteca Stadium on June 21, Roberto Rosato.
The shirt, bought by a private collector after fierce bidding at Christie’s South Kensington (17.5% buyer’s premium), came with a letter of declaration from the vendor. It made £140,000 plus premium, comfortably outstripping the previous world record, which was set at £80,000 plus premium in September 2000 with Christie’s sale of 1966 World Cup Final triple-goal scorer Geoff Hurst’s shirt.
A unique piece of soccer history
In the week when the death was announced of Kenneth Wolstenholme – the man whose legendary utterance “They think it’s all over... it is now!” capped England’s 1966 World Cup win – what could have been more appropriate than a world record for a football shirt at auction.
