Pele 1958 World Cup final shirt sells for $4.9m at New York auction

Pele’s iconic Brazil number 10 shirt from the 1958 World Cup final has been sold in New York for $4.9m (£3.8m), becoming the second most expensive football jersey ever auctioned – just days before the 2026 World Cup final kicks off.

The shirt, worn by a 17-year-old Pele when he scored twice in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over Sweden, attracted 10 bids from more than five potential buyers at Sotheby’s in mid-July.

The timing of the sale, coming only a couple of days before Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, has added an extra layer of symbolism as football once again prepares to crown a new world champion.

Record from 1958 still untouched

Pele’s performance in that Stockholm final remains one of the defining moments in World Cup history.

At just 17, he scored twice to help secure Brazil’s first world title and in doing so became – and remains – the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final. That record has now stood for 68 years.

The 1958 victory was the first step in a remarkable World Cup career. Pele would go on to lift the trophy twice more, in 1962 and 1970, making him the only player in history to win the World Cup three times.

Across his career he scored 757 goals and is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He died in 2022.

Only Maradona shirt has sold for more

The $4.9m paid for the Pele shirt makes it the second most expensive football jersey ever sold at auction.

Only Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” Argentina shirt, worn against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, has fetched a higher price. That jersey sold for $9.3m in 2022.

Sotheby’s said the Pele shirt drew strong interest before reaching its final hammer price, underlining the enduring value of memorabilia linked to football’s most iconic moments and figures.

Journey from dressing room to museum to millions

The survival of the 1958 shirt over nearly seven decades is a story in itself.

After the final, Pele did not keep the jersey. Instead, he gave it as a gift to his roommate and Brazil team-mate Dida. Dida’s family held onto the shirt for many years before it was eventually placed in a Brazilian museum.

In 2004, the shirt appeared at auction and was sold for around $105,000 – a fraction of the amount it has now achieved. On Thursday in New York, the same shirt reached $4.9m.

The huge increase in value reflects both Pele’s enduring global stature and the growth of the market for rare sporting artefacts.

Messi leads new generation on World Cup stage

The sale has resonated all the more because of its proximity to the 2026 World Cup final, where another number 10 will be chasing history.

Lionel Messi is set to lead Argentina against Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, seeking to further cement his legacy in the game.

The Argentina captain, already a World Cup winner, is one of the few modern players whose shirts routinely attract large sums at auction and in private sales.

As the football world looks ahead to a new chapter being written at this World Cup final, the extraordinary price paid for Pele’s 1958 shirt serves as a reminder of how the sport’s greatest moments – and the jerseys worn in them – continue to captivate collectors and fans alike.