Mystery England footballer selling eight shirts from Italia 90 World Cup

The former player who is selling the shirts cannot be named due to ‘client confidentiality’.

The shirts can be bought by private tender (Mark Laban/Hansons/PA)

An unnamed member of England’s Italia 1990 World Cup squad is auctioning seven football shirts he received from opposition players during the tournament.

The shirts were all worn by or match-issued to opposition players during the tournament, including Irish midfielder Andy Townsend, Belgian striker Marc van der Linden and Italy’s Giuseppe Giannini.

The yellow shirt worn by England goalkeeper, Peter Shilton, during England’s semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to West Germany will also be available, having been signed by the England squad.

The shirts are being offered by Derbyshire-based Hansons Auctioneers, with the international shirts given a guide price of £150,000 to £250,000, while Shilton’s jersey has an estimate of £40,000 to £50,000.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “This is the first time a complete and unique set of football shirts relating to England’s Italia 1990 tournament have been available to buy.

Due to client confidentiality, we cannot reveal which former England star is parting with his collection. However, he played a crucial role in Italia 1990 and enjoyed a stellar career in football

Charles Hanson

“Peter Shilton’s shirt is equally iconic.

“He gave it away to our vendor in the dressing room after the pain of that penalty shoot-out defeat against West Germany.

“Due to client confidentiality, we cannot reveal which former England star is parting with his collection.

“However, he played a crucial role in Italia 1990 and enjoyed a stellar career in football.”

The Italia 90 tournament is still vividly remembered by many England fans, not least due to the heartbreak of the semi-final defeat to West Germany, who went on to win the tournament.

England finished fourth after losing their third-place play-off 2-1 to Italy.

The collection of international strips represents each of the teams England faced in the tournament.

As well as Townsend, van der Linden, and Giannini, the collection features shirts previously belonging to Dutch winger Johannes van’t Schip, Sader Eid of Egypt, Cameroon’s Emmanuel Kunde and Klaus Augenthaler of West Germany.

Mr Hanson said: “For any die-hard England fan this is an amazing opportunity to own iconic football memorabilia.

“This unique set of retro shirts sweeps us back to a tournament that will stay forever etched in millions of memories.

“These shirts are the magnificent seven, seven shirts from England’s seven games in a tournament which saw England’s heroes inch unbearably close to the final.

“As well as Gazza, players like Gary Lineker, Chris Waddle, John Barnes, Stuart Pearce and Peter Beardsley delivered a spectacle in Italy on a par with an operatic feast, the agony and the ecstasy.

“If you watched it, you will never forget it.”

Bids for the shirts are invited by private tender, which can be submitted by contacting Hansons.