18-5-2024 (LONDON) In a remarkable testament to the enduring legacy of footballing greatness, the humble napkin upon which Barcelona famously pledged to sign a 13-year-old Lionel Messi has been sold for an astonishing 762,400 pounds ($969,000), as announced by the prestigious auction house Bonhams on Friday.
The napkin, now a cherished artifact in the annals of sporting history, bears the signatures of Barcelona’s former sporting director Carles Rexach, transfer advisor Josep Minguella, and Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli. It was during a fateful luncheon at a tennis club in December 2000 that this unassuming piece of paper etched itself into footballing folklore.
Lionel Messi, the diminutive prodigy from Rosario, Argentina, would go on to etch his name among the all-time greats, amassing an unprecedented haul of over 30 trophies with the Catalan giants. His departure from Barcelona in 2021 marked the end of an era, as he left as the club’s all-time leading scorer with a staggering 672 goals.
Beyond his exploits with Barcelona, Messi’s illustrious career has soared to stratospheric heights, culminating in a record eight Ballon d’Or awards – a testament to his status as one of the greatest players to grace the beautiful game. His crowning achievement, however, came in 2022 when he captained Argentina to World Cup glory, etching his name into the pantheon of footballing immortals.
“Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career,” remarked Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, in a statement. “It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe.”
