Football legend Pelé is to send all his awards and memorabilia to auction in London.
The collection could realise £5m and anticipation is high that the event could be the biggest sports auction.
More than 2,000 of the Brazilian No 10’s items, collected over six decades in the game, will be up for bids.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, is widely held to be the greatest footballer of all time. The three-time World Cup winner and Fifa Player of the Century has won a host of other awards.
These and other pieces cover the years from when he turned professional at 15 with Santos FC in 1956 to becoming a global ambassador for the sport since his retirement in 1977.
He is given the credit for making the phrase “the beautiful game” synonymous with football.
The auction will take place in London over the three days from 7 to 9 June.
The head of Julien’s Auctions, Martin Nolan, said the lots could attract between £1.5m and £3m, although it could reach as high as £5m. Bids are expected from around the globe.
Explaining the sale, Nolan said: “He’s 75 now and this is his legacy, and 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 said: “Having donated a significant portion of my collection to the city of Santos, I have decided to allow fans and collectors to own a piece of my history as well.
“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.”
Pelé’s life began in poverty and while only a young teen was apprenticed to a shoemaker. His talent for football was developed by kicking a sock stuffed with rags around the streets.
By the age of 17 he had effectively won the 1958 World Cup for Brazil with a hat-trick in the semi-final against France and two goals in the final against the host nation, Sweden.
