LIONEL MESSI couldn’t break yet another historic record to extend his stunning accolades.
Six of Messi’s shirts from the 2022 World Cup were auctioned in New York and sold for a whopping total of £6.1million.
However, that was short of the £8.1m record fee achieved 25 years ago.
That was set by basketball legend Michael Jordan for his Chicago Bulls jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 in the Last Dance season.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also couldn’t break the football record set by fellow Argentine great Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey, which sold for £7.1m in 2022.
The star forward captained Argentina to victory at the Qatar World Cup, which saw the Albiceleste beating France on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the final.
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The six pack was from the first half of the final, semi-final against Croatia, quarter-final vs the Netherlands, last 16 tie with Australia and two group games.
And they all carry immense value as the Inter Miami star became the first ever player to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a single World Cup tournament.
And although the shirts didn’t break any of the Sotheby auction’s records in the US, they still attracted a large sum.
Plus, a significant portion of the proceeds will be donated to children in need.
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Sotheby’s issued the following statement: “A portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to Unicas Project, led by Sant Joan de Deu Barcelona Children’s Hospital with the support of the Leo Messi Foundation, to meet the needs of children suffering from rare diseases.”
Messi registered a total of seven goals and three assists in seven World Cup matches.
And two of the Argentine’s goals took place in the final, where he also scored his spot-kick.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
