Sotheby has announced that a collection of six jerseys worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina’s victorious 2022 World Cup campaign will be up for auction in December.
The estimated value of these jerseys is $10 million.
Messi wore these shirts in the first halves of matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico during the group stage, as well as in later games against Australia, the Netherlands, Croatia, and the final against France.
This triumph in Qatar marked the final achievement for Messi, as he had previously failed to secure the championship in four previous World Cups.
Should the jerseys exceed the $10 million estimate, this sale would become the most valuable collection of sports memorabilia ever auctioned.
The highest price ever paid for an individual jersey at auction was $10.1 million for one worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during his NBA finals run with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.
Auction houses have increasingly taken note of sports memorabilia in recent years, considered a growing market.
The shirts are being brought to auction by US tech startup AC Momento, which helps athletes manage memorabilia collections.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the UNICAS Project, an initiative with a Barcelona children’s hospital that helps kids with rare diseases.
The jerseys will be available for free public viewing when they are up for auction, from November 30 to December 14.
