Lionel Messi was the man of the moment at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
The Inter Miami star scored seven goals to help Argentina win the tournament
The shirts worn by Messi from the tourney are set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York

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The shirts worn by Lionel Messi during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have been backed to shatter the record held by Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA finals jersey.

It is a little under 12 months since Messi inspired Argentina to their first-ever World Cup crown since 1986.

The Inter Miami ace played a central role in his country’s triumph, scoring seven goals at the tournament, including two in their final against France, which ended in a 3-3 epic draw during regulation time.

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring during the FIFA World Cup. Photo by Alex Livesey.
Source: Getty Images

According to Daily Star, six jerseys worn by Messi during the competition are set to go to auction.

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The publication adds that Messi’s first-half shirts the final, semi-final, quarter-final, round of 16, and two of the three group stage matches will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York.

How much could Messi’s shirts fetch?

It is understood that the collection of Messi’s shirts could fetch as much as $10 million (£8million), making it the most valuable collection of sports memorabilia at auction.

talkSPORT reports that the current record for a game-worn item is Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey, which sold for £8.1m in September 2022 in New York.

Be that as it may, Diego Maradona holds the record for the most expensive football shirt ever sold, with his kit from the infamous ‘Hand of God’ game in 1986 fetching £7.1m.

Meanwhile, some of the proceeds from the sale of Messi’s shirts will be donated to the UNICAS Project, led by Sant Joan de Deu (SJD) Barcelona Children’s Hospital.

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