Brazilian Icon Pelé's World Cup Jersey Scores Record Auction Millions

Brazilian icon Pelé’s World Cup jersey has set a new auction record, selling for $4.9 million and underscoring how football memorabilia value is driven by story and provenance. The blue No. 10 shirt was worn by Pelé at age 17 during the 1958 World Cup final in Stockholm, where he scored twice to help Brazil win their first title, defeating Sweden 5-2. Sotheby’s sold the jersey in New York on Thursday, calling the event “The Beautiful Game.” The sale made it the most expensive object from Pelé’s career. The article notes a 1958 Pelé trading card sold for $108,000, below its $150,000 minimum estimate, showing the market still sorts scarcity and context sharply. The second-highest sale cited was Diego Maradona’s 1986 captain’s armband at $512,000.