Pele’s World Cup final shirt sold for $4.9 million at auction
A shirt worn by Pele in the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9 million (£3.65 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, reports BritPanorama.
This sale marks the shirt as the second most valuable football jersey, following Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” top, which generated £7.1 million in 2022.
Pele’s shirt received 10 bids, ultimately becoming the most expensive item to be sold at auction. The Brazilian forward, then just 17 years old, scored twice against Sweden in the final, clinching the first of his three World Cup titles.
Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby’s head of sports strategy and development, noted, “Today’s result is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest footballers of all time. This shirt is not only a lasting reminder of one of the most important moments in football history, but is principally connected to the very moment that catapulted Pele into a global sporting icon.”
Market interest remains strong in memorabilia, as several notable items also sold at the auction, including Maradona’s armband from the famous “Hand of God” goal, fetching £380,000. Additionally, Lionel Messi’s 2017 Barcelona shirt from the club’s remarkable 6-1 comeback against Paris St-Germain sold for just over £161,000.
The auction highlights the significant cultural impact and valuation of sporting artifacts, illustrating how items linked to iconic moments transcend the game, becoming historical symbols that resonate with fans and collectors alike.
As football continues to evolve, the sale affirms the importance of its storied past, with each jersey holding narratives that reach beyond the pitch and into the hearts of fans worldwide.
