Argentine football legend Lionel Messi will auction off the jerseys he wore during their 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Six of the seven shirts Messi wore throughout the tournament will be included in an auction hosted by memorabilia broker Sotheby's in New York from November 30 to December 14.
Sotheby's announced that a portion of the proceeds from the auction will be directed to the Unicas Project. This initiative is led by Sant Joan de Déu (SJD) Barcelona Children's Hospital with the support of the Leo Messi Foundation.
The funds raised will address the needs of children suffering from rare diseases.
The only shirt not featured in the auction is the one the Inter Miami star wore against Australia during Argentina's final group-stage game. Messi swapped shirts with Australia midfielder Cameron Devlin after the match.
The jerseys will be displayed at Sotheby's New York headquarters, allowing the public free access to view them during the bidding dates.
Included in the auction is the shirt that Messi wore in the World Cup final against France, in which he scored two goals as Argentina won the most prestigious football event in the world for the first time in 36 years, with many observers claiming that the former Barcelona forward has cemented himself as the greatest player in history.
This particular shirt is projected to fetch over $10 million, potentially making it the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia in history.
The most expensive sports memorabilia ever
5. Babe Ruth 1928-30 jersey: $5.64 million
A New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth in 1928-1930 was included in a live auction along with 400 other highly prized personal artifacts.
The auction, organized by the Ruth family and Hunt Auctions in 2019, took place at the iconic Yankee Stadium. The baseball great's personal possessions, including the jersey, generated approximately $8.1 million.
4. Muhammad Ali championship belt: $6.18 million
In 2022, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay acquired Muhammad Ali's heavyweight championship belt from the historic 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" match in one of the most watched televised events ever.
This historic event saw Ali employ his famous rope-a-dope strategy to defeat George Foreman.
3. Original Olympic Games manifesto: $8.8 million
With a staggering price tag of $8.8 million, the original Olympic Games Manifesto, authored by French educator Pierre de Coubertin, is the most expensive document in sports history. This historic item was auctioned by Sotheby's in 2019.
4. Diego Maradona "Hand of God" jersey: $9.28 million
One of the most iconic moments in football history occurred when Maradona infamously used his hand to score the first goal for Argentina during the quarterfinals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup against England.
Following this controversial moment, the Argentine great scored the renowned "goal of the century," securing a 2-1 victory for his team.
1. Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Finals jersey: $10.1 million
The jersey Michael Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals was sold for a remarkable $10.09 million in September 2022.
The Bulls lost the game against the Jazz in overtime with a score of 88-85. Jordan had 33 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
Notably, the sale of the jersey surpassed its estimated value by more than twice.
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