Moore's family revealed the shirt worn by the England defender during the 1966 victorious final was no longer in his ex-wife's attic.

Instead, the iconic piece of sporting history, possibly worth millions, is now with an anonymous private buyer.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, former wife Tina Moore revealed her "shock" that the number 6 shirt had been auctioned off.

Ms Moore said she had last seen the jersey during the 1970s and 80s in a leather bag stored in the attic of a house she shared with the footballer in Essex.

It was alongside Brazil legend Pele's yellow shirt, exchanged with Moore at the 1970 World Cup.

When the pair divorced in 1986, Ms Moore received Bobby's memorabilia.

After years of searching by Ms Moore, the Football Association (FA) called the family two years ago confirming the shirt's whereabouts.

Daughter, Roberta Moore, said: "It was all very strange. The information was vague. The shirt had been 'found at a general auction of an unknown deceased person'.

"It was hard to comprehend - how does the shirt go from being tucked in a bag in my mother's attic to an auction of a deceased person?"

Both are now appealing for the shirt to be returned to the family.

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Tina Moore said: "It was given to me by Bobby and it is a mystery as to how it got misplaced. Now if it's been found, I would like to know who's found it and would like to be told what's happened to something so valuable to our family.

"I would beg that they just come to us, explain how they came about it. I'm sure it's been done in very good faith.

"More than anything I just want back which Bobby gave me and entrusted me. I owe it to him and my family to get it back."

Football shirts which commemorate historic moments of the game are extremely valuable.

The "Hand of God" shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored two of the world's most memorable goals, to knock England out of the 1986 World Cup, was sold for more than £7m at auction.

The number 7 shirt of Alan Ball, who also played in the 1966 final, was sold for £164,000 in December.