Pele’s 1958 World Cup final shirt sells for $6.3 million
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Brazil legend Pele’s shirt, which he wore during the World Cup final in 1958 when he scored twice to help them beat hosts Sweden 5-2, being displayed at Sotheby’s auction house in New York on July 1.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES – The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final has sold for US$4.9 million (S$6.3 million) at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on July 16.
The No. 10 shirt, worn by the then 17-year-old as the Brazilians beat hosts Sweden 5-2 to win their first world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house said.
“Today’s result is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest footballers of all time,” said Brendan Hawkes, vice-president of sports strategy and development at Sotheby’s.
“This shirt is not only a lasting reminder of one of the most important moments in football history, but is principally connected to the very moment that catapulted Pele into a global sporting icon.”
The sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at auction, behind the US$9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his “Hand of God” goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup.
Pele, who died in 2022 aged 82, scored twice in the 1958 title decider and remains the youngest player to score in a World Cup final.
The shirt had previously sold at auction for £70,505 (S$122,300) in 2004, according to Sotheby’s.
In other news, as far as value is concerned, the World Cup trophy will be transported to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the final on July 19 in a bespoke Louis Vuitton trunk, with the French luxury fashion house once again entrusted with designing the case for the most coveted prize in football.
The trunk features a golden “V” for “victory” – and “Vuitton” – across the front, with the brand’s recognisable monogram pattern and gold-plated brass corner protectors.
The interior is lined with beige leather and features a patch commemorating the partnership between Louis Vuitton and football’s world governing body FIFA.
It is the fifth successive occasion in which the French brand has designed a trunk for the trophy, following those used at the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
“For over a decade, Louis Vuitton and FIFA have shared an unwavering commitment to excellence, bound by a shared belief in sport’s power to inspire and bring people together,” Louis Vuitton chief executive officer and chairman Pietro Beccari said in a statement.
Luxury brands have long staked out their territory in professional sport. Tiffany & Co has crafted the Vince Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the National Football League’s Super Bowl champions in the US, since the first edition in 1967.
Louis Vuitton also crafts bespoke trophy trunks for major Grand Prix circuits under a 10-year deal with Formula One.
But there is only one trophy for football’s quadrennial global showpiece – the prize typically resides at the FIFA Museum in Zurich – making the chance to design its bespoke luggage a particular honour. REUTERS
