Budds Auctions sold Best’s Northern Ireland long-sleeved green and white number eight Umbro shirt from a British Home Championship match against England at Wembley Stadium on April 21, 1970 as part of Emlyn Hughes’ collection.

It fetched a whopping £49,400 (including premier auction fees), breaking the previous record for one of Best’s playing shirts – £24,000 was paid in 2006 for a Manchester United shirt worn by Best during his famous six-goal performance against Northampton Town in an 8-2 victory in 1970.

Former Liverpool defender Hughes, who won four First Division titles with the Reds in the 1970s and is widely regarded as one of their greatest players, swapped shirts with Best after the game with England in London – the hosts won 3-1 with Best scoring Northern Ireland’s goal.

Hughes, capped 62 times by England, passed away aged 57 in November 2004 with his children auctioning off 247 items collected across his legendary career earlier this month.

The entire collection sold for £1.2million – Budds had expected to raise around £500,000 – with Best’s shirt going under the hammer alongside the likes of Hughes’ European Cup winner’s medal, which went for £40,000.

Northern Ireland icon Best – one of the greatest footballers of all-time – passed away aged 59 in November 2005 but his legacy lives on.

"It goes to show the esteem in which George is still held in the football world,” said Rafferty. “Wealthy collectors are prepared to pay big money to own a personal match-worn shirt of George's.

"We are coming up to 21 years since George sadly passed away on 25th November 2005 but he can still make the headlines with his footballing legacy."

In June, Best’s European Cup winner's medal was sold for £305,000 by auctioneers Bonhams in London after it had been offered by a private collector.

Best scored in the 1968 European Cup final as Manchester United beat Benfica 4-1 after extra-time at Wembley to become the first English team to win the competition, which is now known as the Champions League.

In 2024, a Benfica shirt which was worn inside out by Best as United celebrated winning the European Cup was sold by Budds for £22,000 after originally being valued at around £4,000.

Rafferty, an avid Best and Northern Ireland fan, had some of his personal collection on display at the Irish FA’s Education and Heritage Centre, which is based in Windsor Park, earlier this year.

Best’s sister Barbara and his brother-in-law Norman McNarry visited the exhibition in December, with the former saying on the Irish FA’s website: “It was really nice to see George’s story represented in the exhibition, which captures meaningful moments from his life and career.

“It’s special to see them brought together in the Irish FA’s Education and Heritage Centre for people of all ages to enjoy.”