Legendary Argentine player Lionel Messi’s FIFA World Cup shirts have been sold for a record price in a New York auction on Thursday, 14 December. Six of Messi’s Argentina shirts from the FIFA World Cup 2022 were auctioned in New York for a price of 7.8 million dollars – nearly Rs 65 crore.

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Auction house Sotheby’s said the price for the set of shirts shattered the previous record for the sale of an item associated with the player, making it the most valuable sporting memorabilia auctioned this year, reported Reuters.

The collection included the shirt Messi wore during the first half of the final against France in Qatar.

“These historic shirts are not only a tangible reminder of one of the most important moments in the history of sports but are principally connected to the pinnacle moment in the career of the most decorated football player in history,” Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables Brahm Wachter said.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina had a historic run in the FIFA World Cup 2022. The former FC Barcelona player guided the team to a sensational victory, in a 6-goal thriller in the final of the tournament. Messi’s Argentina had lost the opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2022 – losing to Saudi Arabia. Since that defeat,the team went on a sensational unbeaten run and clinched their first World Cup trophy in 36 years. Lionel Messi’s performance won him his second player of the tournament award in the FIFA World Cup. Messi completed his trophy cabinet in the footballing world and even won the record-extending 8th Ballon d’Or in the 2022-23 season.

Lionel Messi currently plays for Inter Miami after completing his contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain. Messi has been sensational for Inter Miami and guided them to a win in the Leagues Cup in his debut season in the United States of America.