Pelé 1958 World Cup jersey sells for $4.9 million

A jersey worn by Brazilian football legend Pelé in the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9 million at auction, setting a new record for memorabilia associated with the iconic player. The sale was conducted by Sotheby's in New York, with the auction house announcing the result on Thursday, July 16.

The number 10 shirt was worn by a 17-year-old Pelé when he scored two goals in Brazil's 5-2 victory over host nation Sweden in Stockholm, securing the country's first World Cup title. According to Sotheby's, the item attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders. The shirt had previously sold at auction in 2004 for approximately $105,600, illustrating a dramatic increase in value over two decades.

The sale establishes the jersey as the most valuable piece of Pelé memorabilia ever sold. It also becomes the second-most expensive football shirt sold at auction, trailing only the jersey worn by Argentine star Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against England. That shirt, famous for Maradona's "Hand of God" goal, sold for $9.3 million in 2022.

Pelé's performance in the 1958 final remains historically significant, as he became and remains the youngest player to score in...