Lionel Messi’s Argentina World Cup shirts set to break auction record

Six of the football star’s match-worn shirts are set to go up for sale

Lionel Messi’s shirts are set to command a high price at auction (Getty Images)

Six shirts worn by Lionel Messi during Argentina’s triumphant run at the 2022 World Cup are expected to become the “most valuable collection of sports memorabilia” when bidding opens later this month, auction house Sotheby’s said.

The collection includes the shirt he wore during the first half of the final in Qatar.

“The extraordinary collection is estimated in excess of $10m (£8m), with the sale poised to become the most valuable collection of sports memorabilia at auction,” Sotheby’s said in a statement.

“A portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to UNICAS Project, led by Sant Joan de Deu (SJD) Barcelona Children’s Hospital with the support of Leo Messi Foundation, to meet the needs of children suffering from rare diseases,” the statement said.

Sotheby’s declined to reveal how much of the proceeds would be donated to charity when contacted by Reuters.

Bidding for the white and sky blue shirts will be open from 30 November to 14 December, coinciding with a public exhibition to showcase the collection.

Michael Jordan’s jersey from the opening game of the 1998 NBA Finals holds the record for the highest price paid for a game-worn sports memorabilia item, fetching $10.1m (£8.08m) last year.

The current record for a game-worn item of football sports memorabilia is Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ shirt, which sold for $9.3m (£7.1m) at Sotheby’s London in May 2022.

Reuters