Money Laundered Auction

A collection of Lionel Messi's World Cup shirts are set to be auctioned off by Sotheby's, with an estimated price tag of £8 million. The shirts, which may have been washed, dried, and ironed, are now about to be "money laundered" as they go up for sale. The Argentine footballer, who doesn't need the money, is believed to own the shirts personally rather than them belonging to his football association or Fifa.

Possible Buyers

Speculation is rife about who could afford to buy these shirts. One potential buyer is Cristiano Ronaldo, although it is unlikely that he would display them in his museum in Madeira. Qatar, with its vast gas profits, could also be interested, as £8 million is a small sum compared to its daily earnings. Other potential buyers include billionaire football fanatics or oil state billionaires looking to impress visiting dignitaries.

Compared to Other Collectibles

While the shirts may not compare in value to Leonardo's painting Salvator Mundi, which sold for nearly £400 million, they are still a valuable piece of football memorabilia. The sale of Maradona's "Hand of God" shirt by Steve Hodge is seen as a more wholesome transaction, as Hodge eventually sold it for £7.4 million after loaning it to the National Football Museum for 35 years.

The Business of Sports Memorabilia

Sports memorabilia has become a lucrative business, with an estimated worth of over £23 billion in the past year. Collectors are drawn to these items, and even decades after their historic moments, people are still buying into the legacy of players like Bobby Moore, who led England to World Cup victory in 1966.

It remains to be seen who will become the proud owner of Lionel Messi's World Cup shirts, but one thing is for certain - they will fetch a pretty penny.