A jersey worn by Brazilian soccer icon Pelé in the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9 million, Sotheby's announced Thursday. The sale marks a significant moment for sports memorabilia, with the shirt becoming the second-most valuable soccer jersey ever sold at auction.
Pelé, who was 17 years old at the time, wore the No. 10 jersey when he scored twice in Brazil's 5-2 triumph over host nation Sweden in the final. His performance in that match made him the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final.
The record for the most expensive soccer jersey is held by Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" shirt, which sold for $9.3 million in 2022.
Previously, the most valuable item of Pelé memorabilia was a 1958 trading card that fetched $976,000 last month, according to Sotheby's. The famous jersey was a gift from Pelé, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, to his roommate and teammate Dida after the 1958 final. It remained with Dida's family for decades before being displayed in a Brazilian museum. It was acquired in 2004 before its recent sale.