- Six Lionel Messi jerseys, including the one worn during Argentina’s World Cup final victory, are set to auction for over $10 million
- Sotheby’s expects the sale to mark a historic moment in auction history, reflecting the significance of Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph
In a historic auction hosted by Sotheby’s in New York, six jerseys worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina’s victorious World Cup campaign are set to go under the hammer, including the shirt from the final where Messi, the 36-year-old captain, led his team to a triumph over France.
The set, which is anticipated to fetch over $10 million (N11 billion), includes Messi’s jersey from the final. The sale is expected to make waves in auction history, paralleling the significance of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, a landmark event in sports history that solidified Messi’s position as the greatest player of all time, according to Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables.
Wachter remarked, “The 2022 Fifa World Cup stands as one of the greatest events in sports history, intrinsically connected to Messi’s valiant journey and firmly establishing his status as the greatest player of all time.”
Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, etched his name in World Cup history by becoming the first player to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final of a single tournament.
The auction, open for bidding from November 30 to December 14, will feature a free, public exhibition of Messi’s shirts at Sotheby’s New York headquarters. Messi participated in all seven of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup matches, with only two of the three shirts worn during the group stage set to be auctioned. The third was exchanged with Australia squad member Cameron Devlin.