Pelé’s 1958 World Cup shirt is auctioned for 5.7 million euros
A t-shirt that Pele dressed in the final of the FIFA World Cup in Sweden in 1958 It was sold this Thursday at Sotheby’s in New York for $4.9 million, becoming the most expensive object related to the sporting career of the legendary Brazilian star. The blue garment with a 10 on the back was the star of an auction of historical football objects and started with an estimate of around six million dollars, the highest bid for a belonging of Pelé, which turned out to be too optimistic.
By wearing that shirt, a seventeen-year-old Pelé then became the youngest player to score a goal in a World Cup and contributed two to Brazil’s victory against Sweden that earned the Canarinha its first title in the championship.
The auction ‘The beautiful game’ included dozens of collectible soccer cards sold below estimated prices, starting with one of Pelé from 1958 that raised $108,000 but was valued at at least $150,000. Most of the historic cards sold for less than expected, many for less than $1,000, according to the auction website.
The second most expensive item was Argentine Diego Armando Maradona’s captain’s armband, which he wore in the 1986 World Cup, when he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal, and which raised $512,000. Several soccer star shirts were also sold, among which those of Lionel Messi when performing for Barça were most successful: one from the 2017 Champions League fetched $217,600, followed by others from La Liga that exceeded $100,000.
