A jersey worn by Brazilian football icon Pelé during the 1958 World Cup final has fetched an astonishing £3.6 million ($4.9 million) at a Sotheby's auction in New York. The sale underscores the immense and lasting appeal of items associated with sporting legends, particularly those linked to pivotal moments in history. This particular shirt holds significant historical weight, as it was worn when Pelé, then a 17-year-old prodigy, scored two goals against Sweden to secure Brazil's first-ever World Cup triumph.
The price achieved for Pelé's shirt establishes it as the second most valuable football jersey ever sold at auction. It falls just short of the record set in 2022 by Diego Maradona's Argentina shirt from the 1986 World Cup, which famously sold for £7.1 million. That shirt was worn when Maradona scored both the controversial 'Hand of God' goal and his remarkable solo effort against England. The Pelé shirt, having received bids from more than five individuals, is now the most valuable piece of memorabilia from the legendary player ever to be sold at auction, significantly surpassing its previous sale price of £70,505 ($105,600) in 2004.
Pelé's performance in the 1958 final cemented his status as a global phenomenon and he still holds the record as the youngest player to score in a World Cup final. The auction, titled 'The Beautiful Game', featured several other notable items from football history. Maradona's captain's armband from the 1986 World Cup, including the match against England, sold for £380,000 ($512,000).
Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby's head of sports strategy and development, commented on the significance of the sale. He stated that the result was a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of football's greatest players. Hawkes added that the shirt serves not only as a reminder of a crucial moment in football history but is also intrinsically linked to the exact point at which Pelé transitioned into a global sporting icon.
Other items of note from the auction included a shirt worn by Lionel Messi during Barcelona's dramatic 6-1 comeback victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in 2017, which sold for £161,482 ($217,600). Additionally, David Beckham's shirt from his 50th England cap at the 2002 World Cup fetched £37,996 ($51,200), demonstrating the strong market for memorabilia from diverse eras of football.