An iconic Kevin Keegan match-worn shirt is set to go under the hammer, along with those worn by the likes of Johan Cruyff. George Best, Franz Beckenbauer and Kenny Dalglish.
The family of Emlyn Hughes have put the shirts up for sale via auction.
The former Liverpool and England defender came to own these shirts when swapping with opponents after high profile matches.
The swapped shirts form part of the wider 247-lot Emlyn Hughes Collection, consigned directly by the Hughes family and being offered by BUDDS in Liverpool on Monday 2 November 2026.
The full collection also includes Hughes’ own Liverpool and England match-worn shirts, England caps, personal memorabilia and both of the European Cup winner’s medals he collected as Liverpool captain. The collection is expected to realise more than £500,000.
David Convery, Head of Sports Memorabilia at BUDDS:
“What makes these shirts fascinating is that they aren’t simply a collection of famous names. Each one represents a meeting between two footballers. Emlyn didn’t buy these shirts years later — he walked off the pitch with them. When you see Cruyff, Best, Beckenbauer, Dalglish and Keegan together, it becomes almost like a photograph album of Emlyn’s career, except every memory is preserved in a football shirt.”
A media release detailing: ‘Cruyff, Best, Beckenbauer, Dalglish and Keegan among an extraordinary collection of match-worn shirts exchanged with Emlyn Hughes during his career now for sale in the Emlyn Hughes Collection at BUDDS. There is an old romantic idea in football that you only swap shirts with the greats. The Hughes collection suggests something else too: the greats wanted Emlyn Hughes’ shirt in return. And Johan Cruyff. George Best. Franz Beckenbauer. Kenny Dalglish. Kevin Keegan, all made that swap. Now, decades after the shirts were exchanged player-to-player, they are being offered at auction together as part of The Emlyn Hughes Collection.’
Estimates of what the match-worn shirts will go for:
Johan Cruyff — Barcelona No.9 shirt from Barcelona v Liverpool in the 1976 UEFA Cup semi-final. Estimate £10,000 -£15,000
George Best — Northern Ireland No.8 shirt exchanged after England v Northern Ireland at Wembley in 1970. Estimate £5,000 -£8,000
Kevin Keegan — Hamburg No.7 shirt from Hamburg v Liverpool in the 1977 European Super Cup. £2,000 -£3,000
Kenny Dalglish — Scotland No.8 shirt from England’s 5–0 victory at Hampden Park in 1973.
Berti Vogts — Borussia Mönchengladbach shirt from Liverpool’s 1978 European Cup campaign.
Franz Beckenbauer — West Germany No.5 shirt from West Germany v England in Berlin in 1972.
The official release stating about the Kevin Keegan iconic shirt:
Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg No.7.
Photo: BUDDS / Emlyn Hughes Collection
Kevin Keegan had helped Liverpool win the 1977 European Cup before moving to Hamburg.
When Hamburg subsequently faced Liverpool in the European Super Cup, Hughes lined up against his former teammate and later came away with Keegan’s sky-blue No.7 shirt.
Photo: BUDDS / Emlyn Hughes Collection
THE EMLYN HUGHES COLLECTION
Live Auction: – Hope Street Hotel, 40 Hope St, Liverpool, L1 9DA
2nd November – Auction live – 12pm
Public Viewing – Hope Street Hotel, 40 Hope St, Liverpool, L1 9DA
31st October – 12pm to 5pm
1st November – 9am to 5pm
2nd November – 9am – 11.30am
Bidding is available in person, online and by telephone.