Six football shirts worn by soccer superstar Lionel Messi during Argentina’s victorious streak at last year’s World Cup were sold on Thursday for $7.8 million, as confirmed by the auction house Sotheby’s.
Sotheby’s stated that the final price for the shirts, each worn during the initial half of one of Argentina’s matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, marks the highest value achieved for a piece of sports memorabilia this year.
In the World Cup final, Argentina emerged triumphant over France in a penalty shootout following a thrilling 3-3 draw, securing their third World Cup title.
This win, wherein Messi netted two of Argentina’s three goals, stood as a defining moment for one of the greatest footballers in the sport's history.
“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,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables, said in a statement.
The shirts were displayed at Sotheby’s New York headquarters during the two-week online auction that concluded on Thursday.
No details about the successful bidder were disclosed.
Sotheby’s stated that a portion of the auction proceeds would be given to the UNICAS Project. This initiative is led by the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, with backing from the Leo Messi Foundation, aiming to aid children affected by rare diseases.
Messi, aged 36, presently with Inter Miami in the MLS, spent 17 years at Barcelona. He holds the record for winning the Ballon d’Or eight times, an award presented annually to the finest player in the game.
Sotheby’s had anticipated that the Messi shirts might establish an auction record for sports memorabilia worn during a game, but that didn't happen.
The existing record for a game-worn piece of sports memorabilia is held by Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals jersey, which fetched $10.1 million at Sotheby’s in New York last year.
