Ultimate Lionel Messi memorabilia for sale! 2022 World Cup final shirt – along with six other Argentina jerseys worn by Inter Miami star – expected to rake in more than £8 million at New York auction, with Michael Jordan record under threat

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner completed his remarkable medal collection in Qatar when inspiring his country to World Cup glory. Messi walked away with the Golden Ball award as player of the tournament and registered seven vital goals.

Six jerseys that he wore en route to lifting the most famous trophy in world football are now going under the hammer. Sotheby’s are preparing to auction shirts that Messi wore in the first half of a final showdown with France, a semi-final clash with Croatia, an epic quarter-final against Netherlands, Argentina’s round-of-16 match versus Australia, and two of the Albiceleste’s three group-stage games.

A portion of the funds raised will go to charity, with it suggested that records could be broken if the collection is sold for upwards of £8 million ($10m). The current record for sports memorabilia stands at £8.1m ($10m) – with Michael Jordan’s iconic Chicago Bulls jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals selling for that figure in September 2022.

Sotheby’s have said of the collection that they are preparing to part with - as bids are invited between November 30 and December 14: “These match-worn shirts are artefacts of Messi's legacy. They symbolize the culmination of a career filled with hard work, and an undying passion for the beautiful game. Messi's 2022 World Cup journey was about more than just winning; it was about inspiring generations of footballers and fans. In the years to come, these shirts will serve as a reminder of Messi's greatness and the indelible mark he left on the world of football. Worn through the first half of each respective match, they are symbols of triumph and perseverance.”

The current record sale price for a Messi shirt is £360,000 – which his 2017 El Clasico Barcelona shirt fetched after he scored a stoppage-time winner in it against Real Madrid. Messi’s fellow Argentine legend and World Cup winner, Diego Maradona, attracted plenty of attention in 2022 when ex-England international Steve Hodge sold the famous jersey that he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal in – alongside one of the greatest efforts ever recorded – at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. That jersey was bought for £7.1m ($9m) by an anonymous bidder.