Mendy sells personal 2018 World Cup trophy at auction for €54,000

Benjamin Mendy has sold his personal 2018 World Cup winner’s trophy for $62,200 (around €54,000) in a US sports memorabilia auction, relinquishing one of the most coveted symbols of his career.

The 32-year-old former France left-back placed his official FIFA winners’ trophy into the “Golden World Football Auction – Part 2”, run by American auction house Goldin, which specialises in sporting collectibles.

The item was not the original World Cup held by FIFA, but the official replica presented by FIFA and the French Football Federation to each member of the 2018 champion squad as an individual keepsake.

According to French outlet RMC, citing the Sportion platform, the trophy was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed in Mendy’s own hand, confirming its provenance.

The replica is engraved to commemorate the Moscow final, in which France defeated Croatia 4-2 to lift the World Cup in Russia. It also shows light signs of wear and a small crack in the base, indicating it had been on display and kept in Mendy’s possession in the years since the tournament.

Bidding battle after 2026 World Cup

The auction attracted significant interest, with 38 bids registered before the lot closed on 25 July 2026, just days after Spain were crowned world champions at the 2026 World Cup.

Mendy did not limit his consignment to the trophy. He also put up for sale his 2018 World Cup champions’ ring – the luxury ring gifted to every France player by Paul Pogba following their triumph in Russia.

Goldin’s event featured a wide array of rare football memorabilia, including cards and collectibles linked to iconic figures such as Pele, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.

From record transfer to stalled career

A graduate of Le Havre’s academy, Mendy made his name at Marseille and Monaco before securing a big-money move to Manchester City in the summer of 2017 for €58m, a fee that made him the most expensive defender in the world at the time.

His career came to a complete halt in 2021 after he faced rape charges. Mendy was fully acquitted of all allegations in July 2023, following two years of suspension and a spell in pre-trial detention.

Post-acquittal, he attempted to relaunch his career with Lorient and then Zurich, but neither move produced a notable revival.

Poland move offers fresh start

Mendy eventually found a new platform in Poland, signing for Pogon Szczecin in September 2025. He recently extended his contract by a further year after the club finished last season in ninth place.

Explaining his decision to join the Polish top flight in comments made in November 2025, Mendy said: “كان لنهج ادارة نادي بوغون دور محوري، وكان من الضروري بالنسبة لي ان احظى بالوقت الكافي لاستعادة لياقتي، شعرت بالراحة هناك منذ اللحظة الاولى.

وعندما عرض علي المدربون مقاطع فيديو لملعبنا وجدول المباريات والاجواء العامة، فوجيت. الناس الذين ليسوا في بولندا لا يدركون مدى جمال كرة القدم البولندية”.

Mendy has not publicly commented on his reasons for parting with his World Cup trophy and champions’ ring, but the auction has stirred debate within football circles over a player selling such a personal symbol of global glory.