Messi shirts from World Cup triumph to be sold at auction

Lionel Messi at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

The shirts worn by Lionel Messi at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are set to be sold at auction.

Six of the shirts the Argentine wore, including the one he wore in the final against France, will be part of the auction.

The 36-year-old captain lifted the trophy after they beat France on penalties in last December’s final in Qatar.

His shirts are expected to fetch more than £8m in the auction hosted by Sotheby’s in New York.

The record for a game-worn sports shirt is Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey, which sold for £8.8m in 2022.

Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles, said the sale of Messi’s six shirts “stands as a monumental occasion in auction history”.

“The 2022 Fifa World Cup stands as one of the greatest events in sports history, intrinsically connected to Messi’s valiant journey and firmly establishing his status as the greatest player of all time,” Wachter added.

“It is an honour for Sotheby’s to present and exhibit these invaluable collectables to the public, which encapsulate the sheer brilliance of a player who has redefined the boundaries of football excellence.”

Recall that Messi scored two goals and converted from the spot during the penalty shootout as Argentina beat France in the 2002 World Cup final.