Messi’s Historic 2022 World Cup Jerseys Set to Break Records in Sotheby’s Auction

(CTN News) – Cameron Devlin cheekily snatched Lionel Messi’s shirt after the final whistle, after other Australians had spent their World Cup last-16 match in Qatar attempting to get it. Now is your chance to own the shirt that the Argentine captain sported when he put the team up 1-0 in the first half.

Messi is putting it up for auction along with five other shirts he wore when Argentina won the World Cup.

They include the one he wore during the final, when he scored twice to tie the game with France (3-3), setting the stage for Argentina’s eventual victory in a penalty shootout.

As a whole, the shirts are valued at $US10 million ($A15 million), which would put them in the running for the record for most valuable sports memorabilia.

The current market value of Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey is $US10.1m ($A15.4m), paid in 2022.

The shirt that Diego Maradona wore in Argentina’s quarterfinal match against England in 1986 is the most expensive game-worn football shirt ever sold, fetching £7,142,500 ($A14 million).

Defender Steve Hodge peddled that, and Maradona’s “Hand of God” memorably punched in a mishit clearance.

From November 30th through December 14th, the Messi set will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s New York branch.

You can see the shirts at its New York offices during the bidding dates.

With the help of the Leo Messi Foundation and Sant Joan de Déu (SJD) Barcelona Children’s Hospital, an undisclosed amount of the revenues will be given to the UNICAS Project, which aims to alleviate the suffering of children with rare diseases.

Despite not playing in the 2-1 victory for Argentina in Qatar, Devlin was given the shirt of Lionel Messi.

In retrospect, he remembers going out onto the field to console the lads before shaking Messi’s hand. He finally spoke out when I took a chance—”I’ll see you inside”—because nobody else had said anything.

I had hoped that one of the other lads would jump at the chance before me, but since none else did, I figured, “Why not?”