Brazil's great Pelé's 1958 World Cup final shirt has sold for $4.9 million, becoming the second-most expensive soccer jersey ever sold at an auction. It was sold on Friday at Sotheby's Auction in New York, USA.
Pele scored twice in Stockholm during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. After the final, he traded the shirt with teammate Dida, and it has been kept by Dida's family for decades.
Pele, who died back in 2022 at 82, wore the number 10 shirt at only 17 years old as Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win their first world title, and the shirt attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, according to the auction house.
The sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at auction, behind the $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 showpiece and remains the youngest player to score in a World Cup final.
The shirt had previously sold at auction in 2004 for £70,505 ($105,600), according to Sotheby's.
The sale price makes it the second-most expensive soccer jersey ever sold at auction. The most expensive is Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey, which sold for $9.3 million.