The shirt worn by Pele during the 1958 World Cup final sold for approximately $4.9 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York on July 16, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Pele, then 17 years old, wore the shirt as Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2 to claim their first World Cup title [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Pele scored twice in that final and remains the youngest player ever to score in a FIFA World Cup final [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The auction saw 10 bids from more than five bidders for the historic jersey [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7]. Sotheby's head of sports strategy Brendan Hawkes said, "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" [2]. He added, "Today's result is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest footballers of all time" [2].
The $4.9 million price makes Pele's 1958 shirt the second most expensive football shirt ever sold at auction [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The record remains with Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup "Hand of God" shirt, which sold for about $9.3 million in 2022 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. That same auction included Maradona's 1986 World Cup captain's armband, which fetched $512,000, Lionel Messi's 2017 Champions League shirt that sold for about $218,000, and David Beckham's 2002 England shirt which went for around $51,200 [2, 6, 7].
Previously, Pele's iconic 1958 World Cup final shirt sold for roughly £70,505 (around $105,600) at auction in 2004 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. After the 1958 final, the shirt was gifted by Pele to teammate Dida, who later donated the jersey to a museum in Rio de Janeiro before it was consigned for this auction [6].
Pele died in 2022 at age 82, four years before this record-setting sale [1, 4, 5, 7]. The auction provides a notable chapter in the legacy of a player who shaped football history.
The next major auction of football memorabilia is not yet scheduled, but the sale sets a new benchmark for World Cup final jerseys and sports collectibles in 2026.
