Basketball legend Michael Jordan’s jersey from the opening game of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for almost £9 million at an auction.
It is the most expensive piece of game-worn sports memorabilia in history - beating Diego Maradona’s "Hand of God" shirt which fetched just over £8m.
"Sports fans and collectors alike are eager to own a rarefied piece of history," said Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear Brahm Wachter.
"Today’s record-breaking result solidifies Michael Jordan as the undisputed G.O.A.T, proving his name and incomparable legacy is just as relevant as it was nearly 25 years ago."
The jersey was expected to fetch between £2.6 million to 4.4 million pounds but performed beyond expectations.
It eclipsed the £3.1 million spent in May on Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers jersey worn in his rookie year - the previous record for a basketball jersey at auction.
It also broke the record for any item of Jordan sports memorabilia after his autographed relic card from 1997-1998 sold for £2.3 million.
The jersey attracted 20 bids in total.
Sporting icon Jordan is seen as one of the best players in Basketball history.
In 2020 a Netflix documentary about his career called “The Last Dance” attracted huge buzz.
The series traced the rise of Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, who dominated the sport in the US in the 1990s.
