Six jerseys worn by Lionel Messi during the Qatar World Cup will be auctioned off next month. Sotheby’s, one of the world’s major art, collectibles, and broker houses, has confirmed this information. The firm’s headquarters are located in New York. Together, these jerseys are expected to fetch an estimated one million dollars.
In December, Argentina emerged victorious in the World Cup held in Qatar. Following an outstanding performance, Messi not only led Argentina to become world champions but also won the ‘Golden Ball’. He wore these jerseys in matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico in the group stage, Australia in the second round, Netherlands in the quarter-finals, Croatia in the semi-finals, and France in the final. Before this, Messi hadn’t been able to lead his country to a World Cup win in four attempts. This fifth time, however, he succeeded in guiding Argentina to victory.
Sotheby’s has stated that if the total amount from the auction exceeds one million dollars, Messi’s jerseys will set a record for the highest-selling price in the history of sports memorabilia. The current record for the highest-selling price of a player’s jersey in an auction belongs to basketball legend Michael Jordan. His jersey from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, when he won the NBA championship, was sold last year for one million dollars and one hundred thousand dollars.
According to AFP, recent times have seen auction houses managing sports memorabilia taking risks. This is being considered as a rapidly growing market. The deal to auction these jerseys worn by Messi was struck by the tech startup company AC Momento, based in the United States, which is an official partner of Inter Miami, a football club in the MLS where Messi currently plays.
The firm works on managing various memorabilia of athletes. A part of the proceeds from the auction will be contributed to a project by UNICEF. The institution collaborates with a children’s hospital in Barcelona for the treatment of children suffering from severe illnesses. The auction will run from November 30th to December 14th, during which spectators will have the opportunity to view Messi’s jerseys even without paying.
