Bobby Moore's 1966 World Cup shirt missing as family baffled by mystery buyer

21 April 2023 , 18:15

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Bobby Moore's shirt from the 1966 World Cup final has gone missing (Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Bobby Moore 's famous shirt in which he led England to victory during the 1996 World Cup final has gone missing.

57 years on from the most famous moment in English football history, as Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley following the Three Lions' 4-2 win against West Germany, his family have been left baffled by the shirt's whereabouts. In 2021, the FA informed them that it was in the hands of a 'mystery private buyer'.

The last time that Moore's ex-wife, Tina, saw the red No.6 jersey, it was in her attic. But that was years before the her ex-husband's death from bowel cancer in 1993. Since his passing, Tina searched vigorously for the shirt, as well as for Pele 's jersey which Moore inherited after his iconic exchange with the Brazilian hero following their two nations' memorable clash at the 1970 World Cup.

After Pele's shirt sold at an auction in 2007 for £4,320, a report from the Mail has now shed light on the mysterious case surrounding Moore's World Cup-winning jersey. Tina and Bobby's daughter, Roberta, recalled the family's bewilderment after a surprise phone call from the Football Association in 2021.

The FA revealed that the shirt had indeed been found, but it was "in the hands of a private buyer."

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Roberta, 58, explains" "It was a huge shock and at first, totally baffling," she admitted. "The shirt belongs to my mother and she had been looking for it for years. Now out of the blue, they were telling us about some private buyer, and it had been 'found?'"

Roberta went on to say: "It was all very strange. The information was vague. The shirt had been found at a general auction of an unknown deceased person. It was hard to comprehend – how does the shirt go from being tucked in a bag in my mother's attic to an auction of a deceased person?"

How Pele's shirt which Bobby Moore received in 1970 ended up at an auction is also a mystery (Mirrorpix via Getty Images)

Bobby and Tina were married for 24 years (Wesley/Keystone/Getty Images)

So, who was that buyer? Well, the Moores say that the current holder of Moore's shirt - who was allegedly spooked by the attention - asked to remain anonymous. There's no suggestion that the mystery person has done anything wrong, especially since it could've changed hands multiple times since Tina last saw it.

During their marriage in the 1970s and 1980s, Moore's shirt was kept folded in a leather bag in the attic Tina and Bobby's mansion in Chigwell, Essex. The Moores remain adamant that the famous jersey still belongs to Tina, now 79, regardless of how it was purchased.

That's because when Booby and Tina divorced in 1986, his football memorabilia was given to her as part of the settlement. The legendary West Ham defender remarried in 1991, tying the knot with Stephanie Parlane two years before before his tragic death aged only 51.

Roberta Moore and her family remain baffled (Tim Whitby - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Tina Moore has urged the current holder of the shirt to reveal themselves (Getty Images)

Tina, who'd been married to Bobby for 24 years, plead: "I would really love to get that shirt back where it belongs – with me, with my family, and with the nation, for everyone to have a chance to look at it and marvel at Bobby's achievement."

She added: "If there is somebody out there who has the shirt, I appeal for them to come to us, and explain how they came about it. I'm sure it’s been done in very good faith, but I don't think the people or this person are aware of what's happened. I would just love to be able to talk to them and find out.

"But more than anything, I just want to get back the shirt which Bobby gave to me and entrusted to me. I owe it to him and the family to get it back. That's my wish."

The FA, who're also in the dark, said via a spokesperson: "Bobby Moore is an England hero. It would be wonderful if there was a way of finding his historic World Cup winning shirt and putting it on display for the nation."

Nathan Ridley