At an auction, Messi's napkin deal nearly reached 900,000 euros in value.
Back in the early 2000s, an Argentinian kid dealing with growth issues skyrocketed to become one of the greatest footballers of his time. Lionel Messi's journey with FC Barcelona kicked off with a simple napkin that held a crucial letter. This wispy piece of paper is now being sold at a hefty sum.
Around £762,000 (approximately €890,000) has been spent on acquiring this unique artifact, which has been deemed incredibly significant in the football world by Bonhams - a London-based auction house. Bonhams earlier anticipated the bidding to start at £300,000 (circa €350,000).
Sergio Ehling from Bonhams shed light on the importance of the napkin, "It's just a piece of paper, but it's the famous napkin that paved the way for Lionel Messi's career. It altered Messi's life, FC Barcelona's future, and provided countless fans worldwide with unforgettable soccer experiences."
On December 14th, 2000, the then Sporting Director of FC Barcelona, Carles Rexach, drafted some hurriedly written sentences on this napkin, effectively agreeing to sign the then 13-year-old Messi.
From Rosario to the top of the soccer world
At the time, Messi stood at less than 1.40 meters, was struggling with growth issues, and he needed hormone treatments. There was a degree of uncertainty about signing the slender kid from Rosario, Argentina. However, the youngster from Rosario eventually blossomed into a superstar with the Catalans, culminating in a World Cup victory close to the end of 2022. With eight calls as the world footballer of the year, Messi left his mark on football history.
Altogether, he won a whopping 35 titles with FC Barcelona, scoring 672 goals in the process. Unfortunately, due to FC Barcelona's mounting debts, Messi had to part ways in 2021, becoming a Paris Saint-Germain player for two years before migrating to Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer in the summer of 2023.
The auction house specified that the filing is being put up for sale on behalf of player agent Horacio Gaggioli, who was part of the negotiation process at that time. The price mentioned includes the auction expenses.
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The sold napkin, which contains the agreement for Lionel Messi to join FC Barcelona, comes from the same auction where his signature soccer shoes were also put up for bid.
During the 2021 auction, Horacio Gaggioli, Messi's former agent, chose to sell the famous napkin that marked Messi's commencement with FC Barcelona, further solidifying the club's rich soccer history.
Source: www.ntv.de
