Can't Break The Record - Messi's Match-Worn 2022 World Cup Shirts Sell for $7.8M at Auction
Dec 15, 2023, by Phan Tich Giay
- Auction Sale: Messi's 2022 World Cup match-worn jersey collection sold for $7.8 million at auction, failing to break the record for game-worn sports memorabilia.
- Charity Donation: The $7.8 million from the auction of Messi's jerseys will be donated to the Sant Joan de Déu pediatric hospital in Barcelona.
- Items Auctioned: The auction consisted of 6 Messi match-worn jerseys from the 2022 World Cup, including the final, semi-final, and quarter-final matches.
Update: After a total of three auctions, the Messi match-worn 2022 World Cup jersey collection fetched a final price of $7.8 million at Sotheby's New York, including the buyer's premium.
Sotheby's had hoped that Messi's jersey would set an auction record for game-worn sports memorabilia, but that was not to be. The highest price ever paid for a jersey at auction remains the $10.1 million paid in September 2022 for Michael Jordan's Game 1 jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals.
It should be noted that this amount will be allocated, by the decision of Leo Messi himself, to the Sant Joan de Déu pediatric hospital in Barcelona.
This time a year ago, Messi put in an outstanding performance in Qatar to help Argentina win their third World Cup. As a result, Messi's 2022 World Cup shirts are extremely valuable and Sotheby's is giving you the chance to own them by auctioning 6 shirts worn by Messi at the 2022 World Cup, including the shirt he wore in the final.
Sotheby's will auction 6 Messi match-worn 2022 World Cup shirts, including:
- First half of the Final
- Semi-final
- Quarter-final
- Round of 16
- Two of the three Group Stage matches (vs Arab Saudi; vs Mexico)
The Messi World Cup 2022 match-worn collection will be offered in a dedicated sale open for bidding from 30 November - 14 December. The extraordinary collection is estimated in excess of $10 million, with the sale poised to become the most valuable collection of sports memorabilia at auction.
A portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to UNICAS Project, led by Sant Joan de Déu (SJD) Barcelona Children’s Hospital with the support of Leo Messi Foundation, to meet the needs of children suffering from rare diseases.
The current record for football memorabilia is the 'Hand of God' match worn by Maradona in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England, which sold for $9.3 million at Sotheby's London in May 2022.
Speaking of sports in general, the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia sold at auction was Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals - known as the "Last Dance" season - which sold for $10.1 million in September 2022.
It remains to be if the Messi 2022 World Cup match-worn final can surpass Maradona and Michael Jordan as the highest-priced sports memorabilia of all time.
Messi's match-worn shirts from the 2022 World Cup will be auctioned on sothebys.com from 30 November.
Do you think Messi's 2022 World Cup match-worn shirt will break the record for the most valuable auctioned shirt, currently held by Maradona and Michael Jordan? Let us know in the comments below.
Adidas Argentina Messi Farewell Kit Teased
Adidas and the Argentine Football Association have teased a special-edition commemorative jersey celebrating Lionel Messi for his final appearance with the national team. Following the announcement of his retirement from international duty after a legendary career spanning 207 caps and 125 goals, Messi is set to wear the bespoke design in his farewell match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental on October 6, 2026.
The unique kit departs from the traditional striping format, opting for a sky-blue base accented by a single broad white central stripe. Tonal rays inspired by the Sun of May radiate across the front and back of the torso. In a rare personal touch, Messi's signature 'M' logo replaces the traditional Adidas performance logo on the right chest in metallic gold, balanced by the gold-accented three-star Argentina crest on the left. The crew-neck collar and sleeve cuffs are finished in black with sleek gold edging.
On the reverse, the shirt features gold 'MESSI 10' printing framed by the radiant sunburst motif, topped by a small Sun of May emblem just below the rear collar. Messi previewed the shirt on social media with the message "One last match... A jersey for a lifetime," offering a fitting tribute as he prepares to close his historic international chapter.
