In a staggering turn of events, a collection of six Lionel Messi jerseys, including the iconic attire worn during the 2022 FIFA World Cup’s final match, has been auctioned off for a jaw-dropping $7.803 million.
The New York City-based auction house Sotheby’s facilitated the unprecedented sale, which fell short of breaking the record set by Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey, fetching $10.1 million last year.
The mesmerizing collection comprised jerseys worn in Argentina’s gripping group-stage encounters against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, intense knockout round clashes with Australia, Croatia, and the Netherlands, as well as the climactic final against France.
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Notably absent from the ensemble was the jersey from Argentina’s group-stage triumph over Poland.
Sotheby’s had anticipated that Messi’s jerseys would shatter the existing record, but the final bid fell short of Jordan’s monumental achievement.
The second-highest price ever paid for a sports jersey at auction remains Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal jersey from the 1986 World Cup, which commanded an impressive $9.28 million in May 2022.
The sale of Messi’s jerseys not only highlights the immense global appeal of soccer but also cements the Argentine legend’s status as a transcendent sporting figure.
The auction, while falling short of some predictions, undoubtedly adds another chapter to the ongoing narrative of sports memorabilia reaching astronomical values in the collector’s market.
