Selling the 2018 World Cup at public auction: Mendy gives up glory for 54,000 euros

In an incident that stirred much controversy in football circles, former France international Benjamin Mendy has sold his official replica of the 2018 World Cup trophy that he won with France in Russia. The price? 62,200 US dollars, the equivalent of around 54,000 euros.

Parting with the most valuable achievement of any footballer's career is hardly usual, and the decision may strike some as shocking. Yet the 32-year-old left-back put the trophy up for sale as part of "The Football Global Auction, Part Two", organised by the famous American auction house "Goldin", which specialises in sports memorabilia.

What exactly did Mendy sell?

This was not the original trophy, which FIFA keeps, but the official identical replica that FIFA and the French Federation grant every world champion player as a personal keepsake.

French network "RMC", citing the "Sportune" platform, reported that the sold replica came with a certificate of authenticity signed in Benjamin Mendy's own handwriting, proving its origin.

An engraving on the replica commemorates the Moscow final and France's 4-2 win over Croatia. It also shows slight signs of use and a small crack in its base, confirming that Mendy had displayed and kept it in his possession throughout the past years.

Bidding proved fierce. The number of bids reached 38 before the auction closed on 25 July 2026, just a few days after Spain won the 2026 World Cup title.

Mendy did not stop at the trophy. In the same auction he offered up the 2018 world champion ring, the luxurious ring that Paul Pogba gifted to all his France team-mates after the triumph in Russia.

Rare football items filled the "Goldin" auction, among them cards and memorabilia belonging to legends and stars such as Pelé, Lionel Messi, and Lamine Yamal.

From global glory to Poland

A graduate of the Le Havre academy who shone at Marseille and Monaco, Mendy became the most expensive defender in the world when he joined Manchester City in the summer of 2017 for 58 million euros.

His career then came to a complete halt in 2021 after accusations of rape, before he was definitively cleared of all charges in July 2023 following two years of suspension and a period spent in pre-trial detention.

Once cleared, he tried to return through the doors of Lorient and Zurich without notable success. He finally found his new start in Poland, signing for Pogon Szczecin in September 2025, where he recently renewed his contract for an additional year after his team finished last season in ninth place.

Mendy had explained his choice of the Polish league back in November 2025, saying: "The approach of Pogon's management played a pivotal role, and it was essential for me to have enough time to regain my fitness. I felt comfortable there from the very first moment.

And when the coaches showed me videos of our stadium, the fixture list and the general atmosphere, I was surprised. People who are not in Poland do not realise how beautiful Polish football is."

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