The jersey worn by Pele for the 1958 World Cup final in Sweden has sold for $4.9m at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.
Pele was 17 years old at the final at Rasunda Stadium, Solna, and he scored a brace as Brazil defeated Sweden, the hosts, 5-2 to win the World Cup.
The Brazilian national team wore blue for the match, and Pele’s own shirt became the second most expensive jersey sold after an anonymous buyer beat out four other bidders on Thursday.
Only the jersey worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup fetched more. Maradona’s shirt was sold at an auction for $9.3 million in 2022 — making it the most expensive sports memorabilia.
The Pele final shirt had sold for only $105,600 in 2004.
Other notable items sold in the latest New York football memorabilia auction were the captain’s armband worn by Maradona during the 1986 World Cup – including when he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal against England – which went for $512,000.
Lionel Messi’s shirt from Barcelona’s 6–1 comeback win over PSG in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in 2017 sold for $217,600; also, a shirt from David Beckham’s 50th England cap at the 2002 World Cup was bought for $51,200.
