How much would you pay for a piece of 2022 World Cup history? Specifically, a jersey from the tournament’s Golden Ball winner, Argentina’s team captain and arguably the greatest to ever play the sport — one Lionel Messi? This is not a rhetorical question for the staff at Sotheby’s, who are preparing to auction a set of six of Messi’s 2022 World Cup jerseys later this month. The auction is set to kick off on November 30 and will run through December 14.
At the Associated Press, Pan Pylas spoke with the auction house to get more details on the sale. The six jerseys are those that Messi wore in the first halves of six of Argentina’s seven matches in last year’s World Cup. Specifically, the jerseys were worn in two of the team’s three group stage matches, plus the Finals, Semifinals, Quarterfinals and Round of 16.
Sotheby’s has high hopes for the sale; as Pylas reports, the auction house believes the set of jerseys could sell for more than $10 million.
Should that estimate be reached, it could eclipse the current world record holder for the highest amount paid for sports memorabilia. That record is currently held by another jersey worn by a legendary Argentinian player in a different World Cup – namely, the great Diego Maradona. The jersey Maradona was wearing when he scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal in 1986 sold for nearly $9 million at auction last year.
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A look inside the making of the new Apple TV+ seriesThat’s not the only high-profile jersey auction happening at Sotheby’s this month. The auction of a number of game-worn NBA jerseys from players like LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama and Steph Curry is currently underway.
Messi enthusiasts looking for a glimpse at the jerseys take note: they’ll be on display at Sotheby’s New York between November 30 and December 14 of this year.
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