Pawning a champion's medal is never on a player's agenda. It is the one possession they typically intend to hold onto, even after th...
Pawning a champion's medal is never on a player's agenda. It is the one possession they typically intend to hold onto, even after their shoes are retired and the fans have disappeared.
This week, Steve Finnan demonstrated how swiftly that confidence can vanish.. The former Liverpooldefender, involved in a prolonged conflict with his sibling and dealing with increasing legal expenses, sold theChampions Leaguemedal he secured in Istanbul.
It served as a shocking reminder that medals, despite their value, can turn into financial supports when careers conclude and challenges arise.
And Finnan is not the only one. Several of the top names in football have reached the same choice, fromEnglandWorld Cup champions to iconic personalities likePele.
Their motivations differ, yet the result remains unchanged. Trophies won on the grandest platforms have found their way into auction houses instead of being kept in family residences.
Finnan's narrative renews attention on the matter, and the roster of athletes who achieved that milestone extends further back into football's past than many fans comprehend.
Gordon Banks was among the most renowned goalkeepers in the history of the game, but even he decided to sell the medal that symbolized England's biggest victory.
Banks participated in all the games during the 1966 World Cup and later became well-known for his remarkable save against Brazil in 1970.
Although he accomplished much, he never made more than £100 per week and left his career without the financial stability that current professionals have.
His business endeavors after retiring from football struggled, and the responsibility of providing for his children eventually led him to make a choice he had never anticipated. In 2001, he auctioned his World Cup winners' medal at Christie's, where it was sold for £124,750.
Banks later mentioned that he sold the medal in order for his children to be able to purchase their first homes. He also sold the cap given to him after the 1966 final, which fetched £27,025.
Numerous teammates from Banks's 1966 squad would take a similar route as conditions became more challenging for them.
George Cohen, a fellow member of the 1966 team, faced his own challenging choices. The Fulham right-back was among the most physically fit players in Alf Ramsey's team and played a key role in the group that won the trophy at Wembley.
However, his later years were characterized by personal sorrow, ongoing struggles with health issues, and significant financial difficulties following a failed real estate venture. Despite surviving cancer and enduring lasting effects from his treatment, he was not protected from financial challenges.
In 1998, he auctioned his World Cup trophy to support his retirement, with Fulham purchasing it for £80,000.
Sir Geoff Hurst, the player who scored a hat-trick in the 1966 final, made the same decision. Hurst took in a significant offer from West Ham, reportedly approximately £150,000, to sell his medal so the club could showcase it with the collections of Bobby Moore and Martin Peters in a new museum.
Hurst later provided a straightforward rationale for the choice, stating that his children required assistance.
I don't have any regrets at all," he said to Daily Mail Sport in 2015. "I've retained very little, and that was a deliberate choice. It was crucial to support my children.
"You can't divide a World Cup medal among three individuals. The children required some assistance and they needed it immediately," he added.
Bobby Moore never sold his medal, yet his complete collection was put up for sale seven years following his passing, with West Ham buying all 79 pieces, including the 1966 champion's medal, for public exhibition.
The collection served as the main attraction of the club's museum, ensuring Moore's legacy stayed available for generations to come.
Pele is recognized as one of the top athletes in sports history, but even he eventually sold the medals that marked his professional journey. In 2016, the Brazilian legend put up for sale his entire collection of over 2,000 pieces, including all three of his World Cup victory medals.
In 1958, his medal was sold for £200,000, whereas the one from 1962 went for £140,800.
Pele shared his reasoning, stating he wished for fans and museums across the globe to participate in his legacy.
"I hope they value these artifacts and pass on my story to their children and future generations," he stated in a message released by the auction house.
The auction featured a copy of the Jules Rimet trophy made following Brazil's 1970 victory, worth as much as £420,000, along with the ball used for his 1,000th professional goal.
The magnitude of the auction positioned it among the largest sports memorabilia sales ever.
Another significant personality from England's 1966 victory, Alan Ball, sold his World Cup medal and cap in 2005. These items were re-auctioned in 2022, with his medal selling for £200,000 and his cap reaching £115,000.
Ball's choice to sell occurred towards the end of his retirement, after he evaluated what his family required the most. The prices obtained highlighted both the historical value of the items and the lasting admiration for the 1966 team.
In other areas, Trevor Francis, the first player to be transferred for a million pounds, collected an impressive collection of trophies throughout a career that featured two European Cups with Nottingham Forest.
Following his passing in 2023, his collection was sold for £135,000.
Francis, who is said to have excluded his sons from his will because of family conflicts, possessed various items such as his winners' medal from the 1979 European Cup final, worth 20,000, his 1980 medal from Forest's second victory, his Coppa Italia medal from his tenure with Sampdoria, and even a shirt exchanged with Diego Maradona.
Similarly, Gordon McQueen, who was a significant figure for Leeds, Manchester United, and Scotland, had his medals sold at auction by his family following his passing in 2023.
McQueen struggled with dementia, believed to be connected to repeatedly heading heavy footballs, and his family emphasized that his memories held greater significance to them than the items he gathered.
His 1983 FA Cup triumph medal along with a set of second-place medals from significant European finals were collectively worth £60,000.
His daughter, Hayley, a presenter on Sky Sports, mentioned that the family wished for fans and collectors to appreciate the items because her father was never someone who accumulated things and valued memories over material possessions.
And the list extends well beyond the names mentioned. Icons including George Best, Terry McDermott, Tommy Smith, and even contemporary players such as Gary Shaw have also relinquished medals that defined their careers.
It serves as a reminder that the quantity of stars placed in this position is vast, too lengthy for any one work to encompass.
Throughout these narratives, a common theme emerges. Former athletes received a small portion of current earnings, and numerous retired without the security measures that contemporary football players rely on.
Without any roles in coaching or commentary to rely on, the future after football was frequently uncertain, serving as a clear reminder of how swiftly stability can vanish when the applause fades.
Read more- Why did the UK's youngest recipient of the Military Cross sell his medal for more than £33,000, and what difficult memories became unbearable?
- Which iconic soccer player's jersey received astonishing five-digit offers following an unforgettable display?
- Why is Bobby Moore still considered one of the top defenders of all time, and how did his West Ham jersey become valuable at auctions?
- Why are the historical medals of a hero from the Great War, who defeated 13 enemies and emerged victorious, being sold at auction?
- Which emotional moments occur as Sir Bobby Charlton's £631,000 property is generously given away, signaling the close of a significant chapter in sports history?
