Auction announced for Messi’s 2022 World Cup jerseys

During the tournament, Messi donned these shirts in the first halves of matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, as well as in later games against Australia, the Netherlands, and Croatia, including the final against France. This victory in Qatar marked the pinnacle of Messi’s career, as he had previously failed to secure the championship in four previous World Cups.

If the jerseys indeed fetch above $10 million, it could become the most valuable sports memorabilia collection ever auctioned off, according to Sotheby’s. The most expensive individual jersey ever sold at auction was one worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during his NBA finals with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, which was sold for $10.1 million last year.

In recent years, auction houses have taken increasing notice of sports memorabilia as a growing market. These shirts are being brought to auction by US tech startup AC Momento, which helps athletes manage their memorabilia collections.

A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to the UNICAS Project, an initiative with a Barcelona children’s hospital that aids children with rare diseases. The jerseys will be available for free public viewing from November 30 to December 14 when they are up for auction.

AFP