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Dan Hajducky
Multiple Authors
The jersey worn by Pelé during Brazil’s 5-2 win over the host nation, Sweden, in the 1958 FIFA World Cup final was auctioned at Sotheby’s for $4.88 million on Thursday.
This marks the highest price ever paid for a Pelé item, eclipsing the previous record set by a $1.33 million private sale of a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) 9 1958 Alifabologet Pelé rookie card in 2022, which was the first soccer card to surpass the $1 million mark.
This historic jersey was worn by a 17-year-old Pelé, who remains the youngest player to ever appear and score in a FIFA World Cup final, netting goals in the 55th and 90th minutes of the match.
After the 1958 final, the jersey was gifted to his teammate Dida, who later donated it to the Museu dos Esportes in Rio de Janeiro. It was consigned to a Christie’s auction in 2004, where it sold for $105,600. The Sotheby’s auction included verified photo-matching documentation from SIA Photo Match.
“This shirt not only serves as a powerful reminder of a pivotal moment in football history but is intrinsically linked to the event that propelled Pelé to global sporting fame,” said Brendan Hawkes, Sotheby’s Head of Sports Strategy and Development.
With the upcoming World Cup final this weekend, the excitement surrounding this iconic jersey is particularly poignant, celebrating the moment Pelé scored both goals more than six decades ago.
This jersey, from Brazil’s first of a record five World Cup titles, is now the second most expensive soccer jersey in history, following Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey, which sold for $9.28 million from the 1986 World Cup.
Maradona’s shirt from the quarterfinal match against England is not only the priciest soccer collectible but also ranks as the third most expensive sports jersey, behind Babe Ruth’s “called shot” jersey, valued at $24 million, and Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance” jersey, which fetched $10.1 million.
During the same Sotheby’s auction, Maradona’s 1986 World Cup captain’s armband, closely photo-matched to the “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” matches against England and West Germany, sold for $512,000. This armband is also believed to match Argentina’s Round of 16 clash against Uruguay.