Six jerseys worn by Leo Messi in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were auctioned off for $7.8 million at Sotheby's in New York. The bidding began on November 30 and concluded this Thursday, December 14. A large portion of the money will be given to a project at a children's hospital in Barcelona (Spain).
Specifically, the six jerseys that were auctioned were worn in the first half of the group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, in the round of 16 against Australia, in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands and in the semi-finals against Croatia. He wore one during the first 45 minutes of the final against France.
Despite the high amount that has been paid for Messi's jerseys, it is not the most expensive auction for a sporting item. One collector paid more than $10 million for Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls jersey that he wore during the 1998 NBA Finals. The jersey Diego Armando Maradona wore when he scored the goal known as The Hand of God in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico sold for around $9 million.
