A No. 10 jersey worn by Brazil icon Pelé in the 1958 World Cup final has been sold for $4.9 million, Sotheby’s said Thursday.
Pelé, who died in 2022, was 17 when he scored twice in Brazil’s 5-2 win over hosts Sweden at the Rasunda Stadium and still remains the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final.
Sotheby’s said the jersey worn by the Brazilian star is the second-most valuable soccer shirt ever sold. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey sold in 2022 for $9.3 million.
The previous most valuable item of Pelé memorabilia was $976,000 for a 1958 trading card last month, the auction house said.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento — aka Pelé — had gifted the handmade shirt after the final to his roommate and teammate, Dida.
The jersey had remained with Dida’s family for decades before being housed in a Brazilian museum and eventually acquired in 2004.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
