A package of six jerseys that Argentine star Lionel Messi wore during the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar will be auctioned in December, Sotheby's auction house announced on Monday, estimating its value at more than $10 million.
The Argentine soccer star wore these jerseys during the early stages of group matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico, as well as in matches in later stages of the tournament against Australia, Holland and Croatia, and in the final against France.
Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar under the leadership of Messi, who had participated in the four previous World Cups.
If the jerseys really top $10 million, that could make the sale the most valuable collection of sports memorabilia ever auctioned, Sotheby's noted.
The most expensive jersey ever sold at auction was the one worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls during the NBA Finals in 1998. It sold for $10.1 million last year.
In recent years, auction houses have paid more and more attention to sportswear.
Messi's jerseys will be auctioned by American tech startup AC Momento, which helps athletes manage memorabilia collections.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the UNICAS Project, an initiative with a children's hospital in Barcelona that helps children with rare diseases.
The shirts will be displayed to the public when they go up for auction, from November 30 to December 14.
