Pele Rookie Card Fetches Record $976,000 As Messi, Haaland Memorabilia Smash Auction Marks

A rare rookie card of Brazilian football icon Pelé stole the spotlight at a major football memorabilia auction held to coincide with the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, setting a new public auction record for the three-time World Cup winner.
The 1958 Alifabolaget Pelé rookie card sold for an astonishing $976,000 at Goldin’s 2026 Global Football Auction, making it the most expensive Pelé card ever sold at public auction. The sale narrowly fell short of the overall record for a Pelé card, which stands at $1.33 million following a private sale of another copy of the same card in 2022 — the first football card to surpass the $1 million mark.
ESPN reports that the auction also produced r...