Maradona's 1986 Mexico World Cup semi-final jersey up for auction

The Argentina national team jersey worn by legendary footballer Diego Maradona in the 1986 Mexico World Cup semi-final against Belgium (2-0) will be auctioned on 22nd August at Sotheby's in New York with an estimated price between $800,000 and $1.2 million.
Maradona (1960-2020) exchanged the shirt for the gloves of Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, who has kept the souvenir ever since, and, after the two met again in 2016, the Argentine star wrote a dedication: "To the nice Jean Marie, with all my love," Sotheby's said.
"I have treasured this shirt for almost four decades, ever since Diego and I exchanged things after that unforgettable semi-final. To compete against one of the greatest players in football was an honour but to call him a friend was even more special," the Belgian said in a statement from the institution.
Since 2023, Pfaff has displayed the sweaty, signed jersey in his ‘El Sympatico Museum’ in Beveren, Belgium, and before the auction, which opened for online bidding on Monday, it will be on display at Sotheby's New York headquarters from 26th-30th July.
Maradona's jersey is one of the gems in a sports auction of cultural icons, including Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal, whose racquet he used in 2006 at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and a pair of shoes he wore in 2014 at the Australian Open, are on offer.
Apart from that, the most expensive item in the sale is NBA star Kobe Bryant's locker at the Staples Center (up to $1.5 million), followed by far by the trousers worn by Michael Jordan in the basketball game with which he retired (up to $250,000).