Sold for $4.9 million, Pele’s 1958 World Cup final jersey becomes the second most expensive soccer jersey; which one is first | News off the field

The number 10 jersey worn by Brazilian great Pelé in the 1958 World Cup finals has sold for $4.9 million, Sotheby’s auction house announced Thursday.Pelé, who died in 2022, was just 17 when he scored twice in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over hosts Sweden in the World Cup final at Rasunda Stadium. He remains the youngest player to score in a World Cup final.According to Sotheby’s, the shirt is now the second most expensive soccer jersey ever sold at auction. The most expensive remains Diego Maradonathe famous “Hand of God” jersey, which was sold in 2022 for $9.3 million.The auction house also said the previous most valuable piece of Pelé memorabilia was a 1958 trading card that sold for $976,000 last month.After Brazil’s 1958 World Cup triumph, Edson Arantes do Nascimento — better known as Pelé — gifted a hand-made jersey to his roommate and Brazilian teammate, Didi.The shirt remained in Dida’s family for decades before it was put on display in a Brazilian museum. It was later bought by a collector in 2004.Pelé remains the only player to have won three FIFA World Cups, lifting the trophy with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970.He scored six goals during the 1958 tournament, including two in the final against Sweden and Brazil won 5-2 to win their first World Cup title.In the 1962 World Cup, Pelé scored one goal as Brazil retained the trophy with a 3-1 victory over Czechoslovakia in the final.He played another key role in Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, scoring the first goal in a 4–1 victory over Italy in the final. Pelé finished the tournament with four goals.The Brazilian football legend passed away in 2022 at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer.