The World Cup winning shirt was sold at auction house Sotheby’s for a staggering $7.8m (£6.1m), with an average selling price of $1.6m (£1.2 million) per shirt. The announcement comes more than a month after Messi was awarded his eighth Ballon d’Or, a world record, and less than a year after their emphatic victory over France in the tournament final in Qatar.

The shirt sales demonstrate the importance of the Argentinian’s fanbase and the importance of his successful participation in the 2022 World Cup to one wealthy and lucky fan. This staggering figure exceeds the 23 officially recorded salaries for Inter Miami players in 2023. The numbers range from the league minimum to annual contracts worth nearly $1 million every season. All salaries are disclosed through the MLS Players Association.

Messi was awarded the Golden Ball, awarded to the best male player in the entire tournament, at the 2022 World Cup. During Inter Miami’s season, the Argentine not only benefited from free time but also participated attend academy matches to watch his son play for the Herons. However, preparations and attention will focus on his pre-season rematch with Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo, with The Last Dance between the legendary duo taking place on February 1.