The shirt worn by Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World Cup final could sell for £500,000 ($720,000, 635,000 euros) at an auction, 50 years on from English football's greatest triumph, valuers said Monday.
The red long-sleeved jersey with the England Three Lions badge on the front and white No 10 on the back was worn by striker Hurst as he became the first -- and so far only -- player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final as West Germany were beaten 4-2 after extra-time at Wembley Stadium.
West Ham forward Hurst was only in the starting line-up after first-choice striker Jimmy Greaves was injured earlier in the tournament.
Auctioneers Sotheby's estimate the cotton shirt, made by sportswear manufacturer Umbro, will sell for between £300,000 and £500,000 when it goes on sale in London on July 12.
"Half a century on, the immense importance of this match to the English game and nation is being underlined once again with the extensive commemorations of the match's 50th anniversary," Sotheby's Gabriel Heaton said.
"This shirt, worn by the match's star player, is the most significant obtainable artefact relating to this historic match. It represents a legendary moment in the annals of English football, and a sporting achievement that has never been repeated in half a century.
"It's a really special, unique item -- there is a premium attached to it and it's these sort of items that increase in value over the years."
The shirt was also auctioned off in 2000, when Hurst sold it for more than £90,000, said Heaton.
The 1966 World Cup remains the last major international trophy won by an England football team.
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