Tuesday 12 March 2019, 09:20

Memory jars at the FIFA World Football Museum: Gordon Banks

  • To many people around the world, football is more than a sport

  • Fans can display their treasured football souvenirs at the FIFA World Football Museum, thanks to the Memory Jars exhibition

  • We look back on a fan's memory of Gordon Banks

As far as a lot of people are concerned, football is more than a sport; it is a very important part of their lives. “We live football” is a slogan that encapsulates that to perfection and through which FIFA aims to show that it is people who make this sport the most popular on the planet.

The FIFA World Football Museum has bought into that idea with its Fields of Play section, which tells the story of people whose lives have been changed by football and which contains what it calls the “Memory Jars” exhibition.

The FIFA Museum is encouraging fans to “be part” of its collection: “If you have a special item that relates to your passion for football and you want to share it with the world, then please get in touch.”

One fan who has been in touch is Mike from England, whose signed copy of the autobiography by the late former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks now sits proudly in one of the Museum’s “memory jars”.

“As a boy, I saw England win the World Cup in 1966 on an old black-and-white TV; as a man, I became a Cheltenham Town fan. In 2002, England’s Gordon Banks visited for a book event, and so I really had to go! Gordon kindly signed copies of his book, so when my turn arrived, I asked him to write the match date in mine. We both laughed as, momentarily, he honestly could not recall it. I will never forget that.”

These display cases contain many other items that tell a fascinating story, stories that FIFA.com will reveal to you over the next few weeks. Among them is a cap worn by a former Scotland player – an item he sported in representing his country, as was the rule during his playing days, and which was sent to the museum by his son. There is also an item paying tribute to Roberto Baggio, and a souvenir from a fan’s encounter with Pele.

Aside from pieces relating to the greats of the game, there are also items of great sentimental value to their owners.

Do you own something very special that you think ought to go on display? Then click here to get in touch with the museum and tell them the story behind your object.

Want to know more about FIFA World Football Museum?

  • Where is it? Bahnhof Enge, Seestraße 27, 8002 (Zurich)

  • How big is it? Three floors, 3,000m-squared of exhibition space, and more than a thousand items on display in a multimedia and interactive environment, including the original FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophies.

  • When can I visit? Tuesday to Thursday (10:00 to 19:00) and Friday to Sunday (10:00 to 18:00).

  • Any secrets? The library houses more than 7,000 books related to football and which can be consulted for research work.

  • School groups: free admission from 1 January 2019. Bookings required.

  • Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

FIFA World Football Museum Building Zürich