Messi’s jersey brings in $67k more than Ronaldo’s jersey at John Terry’s auction

Former Chelsea captain John Terry auctioned off match-worn jerseys from some of football’s biggest stars as part of a charity sale with American auction house Goldin Auctions, raising close to $695,000 total for his John Terry Foundation, which supports disadvantaged youth in the UK. 

Among the most valuable lots were a Lionel Messi Barcelona shirt worn during Chelsea’s 1–0 Champions League group-stage match victory on October 18, 2006, which sold for $183,000, and a Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United jersey worn at Stamford Bridge on April 26, 2008, which fetched $115,900

Both items were authenticated as match-worn and photo-matched, which helped attract the sizable fees they sold for. However, despite both items selling for significant sums, fans have been unable to ignore the $67,000 difference in the price both jerseys sold for, further fanning the flames of discord between the fanbases of both players.

The $67,100 gap between the prices paid for Messi’s and Ronaldo’s shirts became a talking point among fans on social media, with many interpreting it as another data point in the ongoing debate over which player holds the mantle as football’s greatest of their era. 

Other items auctioned include Thierry Henry’s jersey from the Invincibles season, in which he scored a 75th-minute goal against Chelsea on October 18, 2003, which sold for $98,820. Gianluigi Buffon’s gold jersey from the Champions League second-leg clash against Chelsea on March 10, 2009, which sold for $22,265.