Pele's 1958 World Cup Jersey Sells for $4.9 Million at Auction

New York. The jersey worn by Brazilian football legend Pele in the 1958 FIFA World Cup final has been sold at auction in New York by a Sotheby's company for 4.9 million US dollars (approximately 670 million Nepali rupees).

This is the second most expensive jersey sold through auction in football history. Earlier, the jersey worn by Argentinian Diego Maradona when he scored the famous 'Hand of God' goal against England in the 1986 World Cup was sold in 2022 for 7.1 million pounds (approximately 1.31 billion Nepali rupees).

More than ten bids were received for Pele's jersey from over five interested buyers. This makes it Pele's most expensive collectible item sold at auction.

This same jersey was previously sold in 2004 for 105,600 US dollars (70,505 pounds). Pele, at the age of 17, scored two goals against host Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final, leading Brazil to win the World Cup. That was the first of his three World Cup titles.

He still holds the record for the youngest player to score in a World Cup final. Brahmal Haxley, Head of Football Strategy and Development at Sotheby's, said, 'Today's result reaffirms the indelible legacy of Pele, one of the all-time greatest footballers.'

He added, 'This jersey is not just a memento of one of the most significant moments in football history, but also a priceless artifact directly linked to the historic moment that made Pele a global sporting icon.'

Many other historic football items were also sold at 'The Beautiful Game' auction held on Thursday. The captain's armband worn by Maradona when he captained and scored the 'Hand of God' goal against England in the 1986 World Cup was sold for 512,000 US dollars (380,000 pounds).

Similarly, the jersey worn by Lionel Messi when Barcelona achieved a historic 6-1 comeback victory against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Round of 16 of the Champions League in 2017 was sold for 217,600 US dollars (161,482 pounds). Sold

Likewise, the jersey worn by David Beckham for his 50th international match for England in the 2002 World Cup was sold for 51,200 US dollars (37,996 pounds). BBC