Match-worn football shirts from the collections of your heroes. Introducing the Legend Collection

Football’s greatest stories aren’t just told – they’re collected. 

We’re honoured to unveil the Legend Collection, a special series of auctions that gives you the rare opportunity to own match-worn, issued and signed football shirts from footballing greats past and present.

The first Legend Collection auctions come from the private collections of Sjaak Swart, the man they call Mister Ajax; and Ryan Babel, whose remarkable career took in some of Europe’s top teams and leagues.

Highlights from the Ryan Babel Collection

Where to begin? Babel's club and international career saw him brush shoulders with some of the world's very best, and he has a museum-worthy haul of match-worn shirts.

Remember the Battle of Nuremburg? A record four red cards and 16 yellows were issued in the World Cup round-of-16 match in 2006 between Portugal and the Netherlands. Babel received a match-prepared Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal shirt in the dressing room after the match.

Other stand-outs from his collection include a Kaká Brazil shirt worn in the World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands in 2010, a match-worn Wayne Rooney shirt from a Premier League match against Liverpool in 2009, and a rare match-worn Eden Hazard shirt from a Europa League tie against Liverpool in 2010.

A shirt story – Eden Hazard 

Cast your mind back to the late 2000s, and Hazard was one of the hottest prospects in the game. 

The football world was taking notice of dynamic young Belgian’s Lille performances, and there were links with the biggest clubs in Europe – Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and, of course, Chelsea.

Babel swapped this shirt after a Europa League match with Lille in 2010.

Hazard proved the match-winner (as he would so many times over the course of his career), scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.

This is a wonderful opportunity to get your hands on the shirt from the formative period of a player who went on to become one of the best in world.

Highlights from the Sjaak Swart collection

Sjaak Swart's legacy is unmatched. A born champion, “Mister Ajax” is a legend of the game, a three-time European Cup winner who still holds the club’s all-time appearance record over 50 years after hanging up his boots.

After retirement, Swart has been directly involved in the development of some of Ajax's best young players – match-worn Real Madrid shirts from Ajax academy graduates Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder were gifts to their former mentor.

Its a mark of Swart's famous personality that he continued to make friends across the game well after his playing days – Mo Salah one of many star names who struck up a relationship with the former Dutch international and gifted him a shirt.

A shirt story – Johan Cruijff

Sjaak Swart was close friends with Johan Cruijff during their time in Ajax’s dominant team of the early 1970s, a relationship that continued when Cruijff made his move to Barcelona in 1973.

This was a special shirt given by Cruijff to Swart as a personal gift. It features an embroidered Barcelona badge with the letters "F.C.B." and a unique v-neck and long sleeve design, along with a Mont-Halt wash tag inside the left shoulder. 

Although Cruijff never officially wore No. 14 for Barcelona, the number held special significance for him both as a player and later as a manager. 

This shirt showcases many aspects of player shirts from the era, such as thickness, weight, cut, and number print. Along with the story behind it, this makes it stand out from other Cruijff memorabilia.

Follow the Legend Collection for the chance to own rare match-worn & signed football shirts from the best players in the game.