An eye-watering first bid has been made for six of Lionel Messi’s game-worn jerseys from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
On Thursday, The Action Network reported that the bar was set at a huge $5.2 million for the kits. The bid totals to $6.3m when factoring in the buyer’s premium.
The jerseys are being auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York City and offers are expected to get significantly higher until the auction ends on December 14.
The first bid for Messi’s kits already tops previous winning bids for game-worn jerseys. Pieces include Kobe Bryant’s 2007-2008 MVP season jersey ($5.8m), Babe Ruth’s 1928-1930 New York Yankees jersey ($5.6m) and LeBron James’ 2013 NBA Finals Game 7 jersey ($3.6m).
The bid for Messi’s shirts could even outprice Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ jersey ($9.3m) and Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey ($10.1m) at the auction’s conclusion.
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Messi scored seven goals and made three assists to lead Argentina to the World Cup victory
Six of Messi’s game-worn kits are being auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York until December 14
The set includes two shirts that Messi wore during the group stage, while the other four were worn during the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and his crowning moment in the final against France.
Considered by many as the greatest soccer player of all time, the crown jewel in Messi’s decorated resume was the 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar.
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Despite losing their first game in embarrassing fashion to Saudi Arabia, Messi led Argentina as they rallied back and all the way to global supremacy.
Messi finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists, including two goals in the gut-wrenching final.
Aside from helping Argentina win their first World Cup since 1986, Messi was also given the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and the Silver Boot as the second-leading scorer behind France’s Kylian Mbappe.
Following the World Cup, Messi left Europe to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He has since helped the club win their first trophy by winning the Leagues Cup and was also awarded his eighth Ballon d’Or for his heroics in Qatar.