The first place a match-worn soccer jersey usually goes is the washing machine, however that wasn’t the case for six Lionel Messi shirts worn at the 2022 World Cup. A Messi shirts auction saw six of the Argentine’s World Cup jerseys sold for a staggering $7.8 million.
Messi shirts auction
New York based auction house Sotheby sold the six jerseys for a price tag higher than nearly any other jersey in history. The most expensive in sports history was a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals that sold for $10.1 million.
Diego Maradona holds the record for most expensive soccer jersey in history with his shirt during the “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup. Maradona’s top sold for $9.28 million last year.
A set of 6 Messi World Cup worn jerseys just sold for $7.8 million at an auction pic.twitter.com/WwL36tWR0m
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) December 14, 2023
Six of Lionel Messi's match-worn shirts from Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning campaign have been sold for $7.8 MILLION at an auction at Sotheby's New York on Thursday pic.twitter.com/ofJATws4Ou
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 14, 2023
The six shirts are all from the first half of his games except for the group stage game vs. Poland, that shirt wasn’t included. If you didn’t know, players swap out their shirts at halftime for a fresh top. The second-half jerseys are almost always traded between players after the game.
Messi finished the 2022 World Cup with seven goals and three assists as he led Argentina to their first World Cup win since 1986.
“These historic shirts are not only a tangible reminder of one of the most important moments in the history of sports but are principally connected to the pinnacle moment in the career of the most decorated football player in history," Sotheby's Head of Modern Collectables Brahm Wachter said.”
