Legendary Lionel Messi’s World Cup Jerseys Set to Break Sports Memorabilia Records at Sotheby’s Auction
Sotheby’s Auctioning Lionel Messi’s World Cup Jerseys: Sotheby’s is preparing to auction off six shirts worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina’s World Cup win in Qatar last year. These shirts, worn during the first half of matches are expected to potentially surpass $10 million in value making them one of the most valuable collections of sports memorabilia.
Details of the Shirts: The collection includes six out of the seven first-half jerseys worn by Messi during the World Cup including the one he wore in the final against France. Messi often swaps shirts with opposing players after matches making his jerseys highly sought after.
Argentina’s World Cup Victory: Argentina secured their third World Cup by defeating France in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium. Messi scored two of Argentina’s goals in this historic match.
Auction Details: Sotheby’s will conduct the auction in New York from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14. Prior to the bidding dates a free exhibition in Sotheby’s New York headquarters will allow the public to view the shirts.
Collaboration and Tech Partnership: Sotheby’s is working with AC Momento a U.S.-based tech startup that collaborates with high-profile athletes to manage their match-worn memorabilia.
Previous Records: The current record for sports memorabilia is held by Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey sold for $10.1 million in September 2022 at Sotheby’s. The record for soccer memorabilia is Diego Maradona’s 1986 quarterfinal shirt, infamous for the “Hand of God” goal sold for $9.3 million in May 2022.
Proceeds and Donation: A portion of the auction’s proceeds will be donated to the UNICAS Project, led by Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, supported by the Leo Messi Foundation to assist children with rare diseases.
Messi’s Career and Achievements: Messi, 36, spent 17 years at Barcelona, achieving numerous league and Champions League victories. He’s won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times and with his World Cup win has solidified his place among soccer’s greats like Pele and Maradona.