Pele’s Iconic 1958 World Cup Final Shirt Fetches $4.9 Million at Sotheby’s Auction
A shirt worn by Brazilian football legend Pele during the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9 million (£3.6 million) at a Sotheby’s auction held in New York. This sale marks the second most valuable football jersey ever sold, coming in just behind the Argentina shirt worn by Diego Maradona, which fetched £7.1 million in 2022 when he scored the notorious ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup – which went for £7.1m in 2022.
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The shirt received a total of ten bids from over five bidders, making it Pele’s most valuable piece of memorabilia ever sold at auction. Notably, this shirt was previously sold in 2004 for $105,600 (£70,505).
During the 1958 World Cup final, a 17-year-old Pele scored twice against Sweden, leading Brazil to its first World Cup title. He continues to hold the record for being the youngest player to score in a World Cup final.
“Today’s result is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest footballers of all time,” stated Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby’s head of sports strategy and development. “This shirt is not only a lasting reminder of one of the most important moments in football history, but is principally connected to the very moment that catapulted Pele into a global sporting icon.”
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Other notable items sold in ‘The Beautiful Game’ auction on Thursday included the captain’s armband worn by Maradona during the 1986 World Cup, which sold for $512,000 (£380,000). Additionally, a shirt worn by Lionel Messi during Barcelona’s dramatic 6–1 comeback victory over Paris St-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2017 went for $217,600 (£161,482), while David Beckham’s shirt from his 50th England cap at the 2002 World Cup sold for $51,200 (£37,996).