A one-of-a-kind collection of jerseys worn by some of the greatest soccer players in history are on display in New York just in time for the FIFA World Cup, allowing fans the chance to get a rare look at the iconic threads.
The three-day exhibit, running now through Sunday, features an impressive lineup that includes shirts of legends such as Diego Maradona, Roberto Baggio, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe.
The pop-up was curated by MatchWornShirt, a Dutch-based company that specializes in auctioning game-worn jerseys. The company said the exhibit will get American fans in the World Cup spirit as well as turn some of them into future shirt collectors.
The World Cup, which runs through July 19, is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament features an expanded field of 48 teams and includes 104 matches.
“The next five weeks will really help soccer grow in America. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world, and even though soccer hasn’t traditionally been the top priority for every American sports fan, I hope that seeing the European and Asian crowds and how passionately they celebrate the game will encourage more Americans to get on board,” said Bob Zonderwijk, who founded MatchWornShirt with his brother Tijmen. “I think that enthusiasm can be contagious.”
The jerseys on display hailed from several places, including players’ closets, museums and collectors scattered around the world. For example, the Maradona jersey, from his 1990 World Cup match against the Soviet Union, is owned by an Italian collector.
“We put a lot of effort into [the exhibit],” Zonderwijk said. “There are famous names everyone knows, like Ronaldo and Mbappe. These aren’t just random jerseys. They represent defining moments in World Cup history.”
Other notable jerseys include the one worn by Italy midfielder Marco Tardelli when he scored in the 1982 World Cup final against West Germany and Robin van Persie’s incredible leaping header against Spain at the 2014 World Cup.
On hand for the June 11 preview was former PSG and Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi, who won the World Cup in 2018 with France. Seeing Mbappe’s jersey from that final against Croatia brought back a flood of memories.
“I remember when the referee blew the final whistle at the end of the game,” he recalled. “It was a sensation I had never experienced in my life. Something special that we cannot even describe with words.”
Matuidi said his jersey from that match is at home.
“I remember it started raining and everything got very wet, but it was OK. It was a good rain,” he added. “We had time to slide on the pitch and enjoy that moment together.”
Matuidi said the exhibit was a chance for soccer fans to relive memories of World Cups past.
“Football is the best sport in the world,” he said. “I know we’re in America, but worldwide football is the best. It brings people together from all around the world to share time together and enjoy watching the best players in the world.”
For MatchWornShirt, the exhibit is also a chance to let Americans know that many jerseys from this current World Cup could be theirs. Zonderwijk said the American market for soccer jersey collecting has seen tremendous growth in recent years.
“We work with more than 20 of the participating nations, including several contenders for the title,” Zonderwijk said. “We also work with all three host nations — Mexico, Canada, and the United States — and as soon as matches begin, fans can bid on the jerseys the players are wearing in real time.”
In May 2025, MatchWornShirt signed an exclusive deal with U.S. Soccer to auction off game-worn men’s and women’s national team shirts. MatchWornShirt currently has agreements with over 300 club and national teams around the world, including back-to-back Champions League winners PSG.
While Matuidi said France has a shot at the title, Zonderwijk imagined a scenario that would make collectors salivate.
“If Ronaldo were to reach the final and potentially win his first World Cup, that would be a huge moment,” he said. “There are a lot of opportunities ahead.”
Clemente Lisi is the author of “The World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition.”
