November 20, (THEWILL) – A set of six match-worn jerseys from football icon Lionel Messi’s victorious 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with Argentina will go to auction next month, according to an announcement made Monday by auction house Sotheby’s. The collection carries an estimated value of $10 million.
The shirts were worn by Messi during the first halves of group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, as well as later tournament games against Australia, the Netherlands, and Croatia, culminating in the dramatic final against France on December 18, 2022, which saw Argentina lift the trophy.
Securing the World Cup title was the final major achievement missing from Messi’s glittering career, having fallen short in four previous attempts with Argentina since 2006. If the collection fetches more than $10 million, it would set a new record for the most valuable sports memorabilia ever sold at auction, surpassing the $10.1 million paid in 2022 for a Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals.
The Messi shirts are being brought to auction by tech startup AC Momento, which assists athletes in managing their memorabilia collections. A portion of the proceeds will go towards the Barcelona Children’s Hospital initiative UNICAS Project, supporting research into rare pediatric diseases.
The jerseys will be available for free public viewing from November 30th to December 14, coinciding with the auction itself. Bidding is expected to be fierce among collectors eager to own a piece of football history from Messi’s long-awaited World Cup success.
