Pelé 1958 World Cup Final Jersey Sells for $4.9 Million

A jersey worn by Pelé in the 1958 World Cup final sold for $4.9 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday. The sale makes the garment the second-most valuable football jersey ever auctioned, behind only the Argentina shirt Diego Maradona wore when he scored the 'Hand of God' goal against England in 1986, which sold for £7.1 million in 2022.

The Pelé shirt drew 10 bids from more than five bidders and became the player's most valuable piece of memorabilia sold at auction.

The same item had fetched $105,600 when it last appeared at auction in 2004. Pelé scored twice against Sweden in the 1958 final as a 17-year-old and remains 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," said Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby's head of sports strategy and development.

The same auction also sold the captain's armband Maradona wore during the 1986 World Cup for $512,000. A Lionel Messi shirt from Barcelona's 6-1 win over Paris St-Germain in the 2017 Champions League sold for $217,600, while a David Beckham shirt from his 50th England cap at the 2002 World Cup sold for $51,200.