Six Argentina jerseys worn by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi on the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been bought for a staggering $7.8 million on Thursday (December 14). Legendary public sale home Sotheby’s, which oversaw the huge transaction, confirmed that the value of the shirts is the best for sports activities memorabilia in 2023. The auctioneers, nonetheless, didn’t disclose the identify of the successful bidder.
Lionel Messi Loved An Unforgettable FIFA World Cup Marketing campaign With Argentina
Inter Miami famous person Messi was the belle of the ball on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 36-year-old produced one stellar efficiency after one other to guide Argentina to the FIFA World Cup, ending a 36-year-long await the coveted trophy.
Messi pitched in with seven targets and three assists all through the match and was awarded the distinguished Golden Ball. Courtesy of his exploits in Qatar, the Barcelona icon gained a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or on September 30.
Sotheby’s Believes Messi’s Jerseys Symbolize ‘One Of The Most Vital Moments’ Of Sporting Historical past
Sotheby’s, who auctioned six shirts that Messi wore through the first half in Qatar, claimed that the jerseys have been “historic”, as successful the FIFA World Cup cemented the Argentine’s legacy as one of many greatest-ever soccer gamers. In a press release, Sotheby’s head of recent collectibles Brahm Wachter stated (by way of F0rtune):
“These historic shirts are usually not solely a tangible reminder of some of the vital moments within the historical past of sports activities, however are principally related to the head second within the profession of essentially the most adorned soccer participant in historical past.”
The shirts have been on show at Sotheby’s New York headquarters all through the two-week on-line public sale that concluded on Thursday.
Sotheby’s has additionally confirmed {that a} portion of the public sale proceeds would go to the UNICAS Challenge. The humanitarian charity is led by the Sant Joan de Deu Barcelona Youngsters’s Hospital with the help of the Leo Messi Basis. The Challenge helps kids that suffer from uncommon illnesses.
Though $7.8 million looks like an astoundingly large sum, it isn’t the best the public sale home has generated for a bit of game-worn sports activities memorabilia. That document remains to be held by Michael Jordan, whose 1998 NBA Finals match-worn jersey went for an eye-popping $10.1 million in 2022.
