The jersey worn by legendary Brazilian forward Pelé in the 1958 World Cup final was sold at auction today in New York for $4.9 million (4.3 million euros at current exchange rates), auction house Sotheby’s announced.
Pelé wore the shirt during Brazil’s first World Cup victory, a match played against Sweden.
At just 17 years old, Edson Arantes do Nascimento scored two of the five goals in the 5-2 win over the host nation, following Brazil’s victory over France by the same scoreline in the semi-finals.
The player had gifted the jersey to his teammate and friend Dida; it remained in Dida’s family for decades before eventually being displayed in a museum and auctioned—for the first time in 2004—for an undisclosed amount.
In today’s auction, the item sold after 10 bids from five interested parties, ultimately going to an unidentified buyer.
According to Sotheby’s, the jersey has become the second most expensive in the world.
The record is still held by the jersey worn by Argentine forward Diego Armando Maradona on June 22, 1986, during the famous World Cup quarter-final against England; that shirt sold for $9.3 million (8.1 million euros at current exchange rates).
In that match, Argentina won 2-1 thanks to two iconic goals from Maradona, including the infamous goal scored with his hand—which the referee allowed to stand.
