The napkin on which the legendary Argentine footballer Lionel Messi signed his first contract with Barcelona in 2000 is all set to go under the hammer in March 2021.
The auction will be held by Bonhams, a UK-based auction house, and the starting price of the napkin is set at a whopping £300,000 or approximately $381,000.
The document is considered a significant piece of football history as it marks the moment when Messi joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old boy and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer, a record that still stands today.
The signing of Lionel Messi was a pivotal moment in football history and took place in December 2000 when Carles Rexach, then the sporting director of Barcelona, agreed with Jorge Messi, Lionel’s father, and agent Horacio Gaggioli to recruit the talented teenager.
The signing happened after Rexach invited Messi senior to have lunch to discuss his concerns about the lack of response following his son’s initial trials at the Spanish club.
The napkin, on which the contract was written, has the following words inscribed on it: “In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and in the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona’s sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon.”
The napkin was signed at the Pompeia tennis club, and the agreement was ratified by then-club president Joan Gaspart.
The contract was formally signed that same night, and a month later, Barcelona completed the signing of Lionel Messi to start his 20-year stay at the club.
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During his time at Barcelona, Lionel Messi helped the club win 35 titles and made a record 782 appearances, scoring 674 goals in the process.
He is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time.
The napkin that bears witness to his signing with Barcelona is a prized possession for any football fan and is sure to fetch a high price at the auction.
