Napkin that started off Messi’s Barcelona career up for auction

Bidding commenced on Wednesday, for a remarkable piece of football history – a napkin on which Barcelona penned their promise to sign a then 13-year-old Lionel Messi, who later became one of the game’s greatest players. The initial bids swiftly reached a staggering £220,000 ($274,824), testifying to the immense value attached to this unassuming yet iconic artefact.

In December 2000, Carles Rexach, Barcelona’s sporting director at the time, agreed with agent Horacio Gaggioli, to recruit the Argentine teenager, who would eventually become the club’s all-time top scorer. The document, described by auction house Bonhams as “blue ink on a standard Spanish waxy napkin”, holds a profound significance in Messi’s extraordinary journey.

The online auction, set to close on May 17, has a guide price ranging between £300,000 and £500,000. Marc Sands, Bonhams’ Chief Marketing Officer, emphasised the emotional value of the napkin, stating: “It was never legally binding, but emotionally it represents the deep link or the beginning of the deep link that Messi had with Barcelona.”

Messi’s illustrious career with La Blaugrana, saw him win 35 titles, make a record 782 appearances and score an astonishing 674 goals. After leaving the club in 2021, he plies his trade for Inter Miami. Sands aptly summarised the napkin’s allure: “If you love football, you’ll know all about Lionel Messi and you will know that he defined football for generations. If you want a slice of that action, this is the thing to get.”