Lionel Messi's World Cup Jerseys Just Sold for $7.8 Million
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The set of six shirts that Lionel Messi wore during Argentina's run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar sold for $7.803 million at auction yesterday at Sotheby's New York.
"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 collectibles, said in a statement.
They are the third-most valuable jerseys ever sold at auction, behind Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals jersey ($10.1 million) and Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey worn during the 1986 World Cup ($9.28 million), and the most valuable pieces of Messi memorabilia ever sold.
Argentina 22 Winners Home Jersey
adidas.com
$63.00
Messi announced the auction last month, writing on Instagram that Athletic Club Momento will be bringing them for sale, and that "a portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to UNICAS Project, led by Sant Joan de Déu (SJD) Barcelona Children’s Hospital to meet the needs of children suffering from rare diseases." The amount to be donated has yet to be revealed, nor has the buyer been revealed. As The Athletic notes, "Time will tell if the purchase is a shrewd one or if the buyer has overpaid, but the general trend is that sports memorabilia is booming as an investment class."
The six jerseys are were all worn during the first half of Messi's 2022 World Cup matches (soccer players often change at halftime), with only one missing from the group stage match against Poland, likely traded with an opponent.
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