A set of six shirts worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina’s World Cup title run last year sold for $7.8 million at auction Thursday, making them the second-most valuable jerseys ever auctioned and the highest selling price ever for any Messi item, according to Sotheby’s.
The set of striped blue and white shirts—including one jersey worn during the World Cup’s final match—sold for $7.803 million, according to the New York City-based auction house Sotheby’s.
The set includes six of the seven jerseys that Messi wore during the first half of Argentina’s World Cup matches last year, as the only missing jerseys are the first-half jersey from Argentina’s final group stage match against Poland and the jerseys worn during the second half, which were likely traded with opponents, according to Sotheby’s. Sotheby’s had projected the jerseys would break a record held by Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey, which sold for a record $10.1 million last year.
The second most valuable jersey sold at auction was Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal jersey worn during the 1986 World Cup, which sold for $9.28 million in May 2022. The previous record for the most valuable Messi item sold at auction was a jersey worn during Barcelona’s match with Real Madrid in 2017, according to ESPN.
Few non-sports card items ever fetch more than $5 million at an auction. A jersey worn by Babe Ruth between 1928 and 1930 sold for $5.64 million in June 2019. A 1982 Olympic Games manifesto sold for $8.8 million that same year. Earlier this year, a 2013 NBA Finals jersey worn by Lebron James and a jersey worn by Kobe Bryant during his MVP season sold for $3.6 million and $5.8 million, respectively.
Messi, 36, scored twice in Argentina’s win over France in the 2022 World Cup final. During his 20-year career, Messi played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain before signing with Inter Miami in the MLS. He has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards—given annually to the world’s best soccer player—and holds several European scoring records.
Messi is the world’s second highest-paid athlete in the world with a net worth of $130 million, according to our latest estimates. Messi—who has a lifelong deal with Adidas and his clothing line—is the highest-paid player in the MLS with an annual salary of $20.4 million.
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