Will Pele's 1958 World Cup jersey sell for $10mm or more in Sotheby's online auction later in June?
53% of users predicted NO — the community got this one right. 62 predictions cast.
Pele's game-worn jersey from the 1958 World Cup final sold for $4.88 million at a Sotheby's online auction that closed in mid-July 2026, falling well short of the $10 million threshold the market question asked about. The shirt was worn by a 17-year-old Pele during Brazil's 5-2 victory over Sweden in the final, a match in which he scored twice, including the game's decisive goal.
Despite the price falling short of $10 million, the sale still made it the second-most expensive soccer jersey ever sold at auction, behind only Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey from the 1986 World Cup, and a dramatic markup from the $105,600 the same jersey fetched at a Christie's auction in 2004. Sotheby's had marketed the piece as one of the most significant items of sports memorabilia ever offered, citing Pele's status as the youngest World Cup-winning player in history. Bidding fell short of pre-auction hype that had circulated when the item was first listed in June, when some estimates suggested it could exceed $10 million. Community sentiment (47% Yes) was closely split, and the final hammer price landed under half the market's Yes threshold.