Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ shirt is set to be sold for a record-breaking £4 million, making it the most expensive football shirt sale of all time. With bidding closing today (4th May 2022), you have until 4 pm BST to top the £4 million that is currently the highest bid on the infamous shirt.
The £4m ‘Hand of God’ shirt sale will smash the previous record by a whole 25 times. That had been held by Pele’s 1970 World Cup final shirt, which had been sold for £157,750 at an auction in London in 2002.
As part of their thrift capitals of the world campaign, which examines the vintage football shirt market, the team at Betway have rifled through the rails to reveal the most expensive retro and match-worn football shirts of all time.
- Diego Maradona, Argentina 1986 – £4,000,000
The shirt worn by Diego Maradona for the Argentina v England game at the 1986 World Cup, in which the legendary striker infamously scooped the ball over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton with a little help from his ‘hand of god’, has sold for a record-breaking £4 million.
The shirt was owned by former England midfielder, Steve Hodge, who had been Maradona’s rival on the pitch during that fateful day in 1986. Hodge had unfortunately put Maradona in with the chance to score his ‘hand of god’ goal, however, the pair swapped shirts after the match, leaving Hodge in ownership of what would become the world’s most expensive match-worn shirt.
- Pele, Brazil 1970 – £157,750
Prolific Brazilian striker Pele’s signature No.10 shirt, worn during the 1970 World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, sold at auction in London in 2002 for a then record-breaking £157,750.
The famous shirt was sold by a member of that final’s losing Italian side, Roberto Rosato, who had exchanged shirts with the Brazilian star at full time. The £157,750 that Rosato received for the shirt was more than three times over the predicted sale value.
- Michael Laudrup, Barcelona 1991/92 – £599.99
Barcelona’s first-ever European cup win at the end of the 1991/92 season was a special night for all involved, not least of all for Barcelona’s legendary Danish midfielder Michael Laudrup, whose unique match-worn orange away strip was sold for £599.99.
- Marco Van Basten, Netherlands 1988 – £599.99
The iconic Adidas strip worn by the Netherlands during their victorious 1988 European Championship campaign is one of the most sought-after vintage football shirts in the world, with football fans and fashion enthusiasts alike clambering to get their hands on it. This classic orange retro shirt is so in demand that striker Marco Van Basten’s match-worn edition from the 1988 European Championship final was sold for £599.99.
- Diego Maradona, Napoli 1990-91 – £499.99
Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Argentina shirt is far from his only valuable piece of match-worn clothing. As well as being an Argentinian national hero on the international stage, Maradona was also a club legend in Italy, representing Napoli, where his match-worn 1990/91 shirt from his final season at the club sold for £499.99.
- Marcelo Balboa, USA 1994 – £499.99
Adidas designed an unconventional, but unbeatable kit for the USA national team to commemorate the nation hosting the World Cup for the first time in 1994. The stars and stripes ‘denim’ design proved popular, especially the match-worn shirt of defender Marcelo Balboa, which sold for £499.99.
- Bryan Robson, Manchester United 1986-88 – £449.99
Third kits can be notoriously hard to get hold of, so it should come as no surprise that Bryan Robson’s match-worn blue Manchester United third shirt, worn between 1986 and 1988, sold for an impressive £449.99.