Want a Brazil jersey owned by Pele? An All Blacks shirt signed by Dan Carter? A New York Yankees photo autographed by Derek Jeter? David Beckham’s AC Milan shirt?
Those items, plus others from Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, are among 229 that will be up for sale next month at an auction organised by Pele for the foundation he created in 2018 to help underprivileged children.
The Brazilian, the only player to claim three World Cup winner’s medals and a man often called the greatest footballer of all time, said all monies raised will help Brazil’s fight against and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
So far 575,000 people have died in Brazil from COVID-19, the second highest death toll in the world after the United States.
“Pele is such a legend, he’s an icon and other sports stars look up to Pele,” Martin Nolan, Executive Director and CFO of Beverly Hills-based Julien’s Auctions, told Reuters.
“Because he was at home in his bubble he had the time to focus on this project.”
Pele has provided some of his own items for the Sept. 22 auction but he has also called in favours from friends in the sport and entertainment worlds.
There are Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos jerseys and photos autographed by the 80-year-old Pele, and others signed by ex-Brazil team mates such as Rivellino, Jairzinho and Clodoaldo.
Mario Zagallo, the coach of the revered 1970 Brazil World Cup-winning side, who turned 90 earlier this month, also contributed as did Neymar, Roberto Baggio and Roger Milla.
