A match-worn shirt belonging to soccer legend Pele, used during Brazil’s inaugural World Cup title victory, was purchased for $4.9 million at a New York auction this Thursday. At the age of 17, the athlete known as The King netted two goals during Brazil’s 5-2 triumph against Sweden in the 1958 final.
Sotheby’s facilitated the sale, where an unidentified purchaser outbid four rivals to secure the blue garment. This transaction marks the second-highest price ever paid for a sports jersey at auction. The current record remains at $9.3 million, held by a shirt worn by Argentine icon Diego Maradona during his notable 1986 World Cup match against England. That specific encounter saw Maradona score twice, including the controversial Hand of God goal where he used his hand to push the ball past the goalkeeper.
