Six jerseys worn by soccer superstar Lionel Messi during Argentina’s winning run at last year’s World Cup sold for USD 7.8 million, the auction house Sotheby’s announced.
The final price for the shirts, each worn during the first half of one of Argentina’s games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, is the highest price for an item of sports memorabilia this year, Sotheby’s said.
Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in the World Cup final, winning its third World Cup.
The victory, in which Messi scored two of Argentina’s three goals, represented a crowning moment for one of the sport’s greatest-ever players.
“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.
The shirts were on display at Sotheby’s New York headquarters during the two-week online auction that ended Thursday.
No information on the winning bidder was released.
