The shirt worn by Brazil legend Pele in the 1958 World Cup final has been sold for $4.9 million at auction, making it the most valuable piece of memorabilia ever sold linked to the football icon.
The iconic number 10 shirt was worn by Pele when he was just 17 years old as Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win their first ever World Cup title at the Rasunda Stadium. Pele scored twice in the final and remains the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final, a record that still stands.
According to Sotheby's, the sale took place in New York on Thursday, July 17, 2026. DailyVista247 gathered that the shirt attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders before being sold to an anonymous buyer.
The sale makes it the second most expensive football shirt ever sold at auction, behind only the $9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored his famous Hand of God goal for Argentina against England at the 1986 World Cup. It becomes the most expensive Pele item ever sold.
The blue shirt became legendary because Brazil had to borrow shirts for the final. Both teams wore yellow, and Sweden as hosts were allowed to wear their home colours, so Brazil played in blue and Pele's number 10 in blue became iconic.
The shirt had previously been sold at auction in 2004 for £70,505, which was $105,600 at the time, showing how much the value of Pele memorabilia has risen in the last two decades. That is an increase of more than 46 times in 22 years.
Pele, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, died in December 2022 aged 82 after a battle with colon cancer. Since his passing, interest in his personal items and match-worn shirts has increased significantly among collectors worldwide.
The 1958 final is remembered as the tournament where Pele announced himself to the world. Brazil went on to dominate world football, winning three World Cups with Pele in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He remains the only player to win three World Cups.
Football memorabilia has become one of the most valuable sports collectibles in recent years. Match-worn shirts from World Cup finals, especially from players like Pele, Maradona and Messi, regularly break auction records at Sotheby's and other houses.
The buyer of Pele's 1958 shirt has not been publicly named, but Sotheby's confirmed it will remain in a private collection. The shirt was exhibited during a press preview at the Sotheby's Breuer building in New York on July 1, 2026 before the sale.
This sale cements Pele's legacy not just as a three-time World Cup winner, but as football's most enduring global icon whose influence continues almost 70 years after his debut in 1958.
