Although no number has been confirmed by FIFA just yet, total viewership for the 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar surely surpassed 1 billion people, a conservative estimate set by analysts based on 2018’s total (1.12 billion). Many called it the most entertaining game ever, especially since it pitted Argentina and its aging icon, Lionel Messi, against France and one of the game’s most promising young stars, Kylian Mbappé.
The game was more than a changing of the guard, though. Messi showed he still had it, scoring two goals — one in regular time and another in the game’s unconventional overtime — in what will go down as his final World Cup appearance. (He’ll be 39 by the next one, and he has been open about opting out.) Needless to say, he’s going out in style, but his jersey — the #10 Argentina kit — has staying power, even if they’re harder to find than ever.
In the fallout of the final, thanks in no small part to championship celebrations across the globe, his jersey has sold out…everywhere. Adidas, for example, can’t make enough of them, and will introduce a “limited edition” version to offset demand. But the brand isn’t fumbling the bag, if you will — they were ready. They’ve made over $480 million in “event-related” sales during the fourth quarter of 2022, a staggering number that’ll boost its year-over-year earnings by 30 percent.
Consumers, on the other hand, are getting screwed. With Messi jerseys sold out at essentially all official retailers, they’re turning to resale sites, where jerseys have skyrocketed in price. Before the final, you could cop a Messi kit — the same ones they wore during the final game — for roughly $100. But now, they’re going for five times that. If you’re an atypical size — XS or XXXL — it’s even more: $760 and $2,000, respectively.
Like I said, though, Adidas is working hard to help fans out — and fast, even though it’s likely the missed sales motivating them to do so.
“Since their history-making win we have produced a range of immediately available celebratory apparel and we will also create a brand new version of their iconic jersey, featuring three stars to mark their third World Championship, for fans around the globe as soon as possible,” the company told CNN.
