Why a napkin that changed Messi’s life is worth almost $600,000

Lionel Messi’s record-breaking career with Barcelona started with a contract written on a napkin. It’s up for auction with a starting price of £300,000 ($580,000).

British auction house Bonhams is selling the napkin in an online auction from March 18-27 on behalf of Horacio Gaggioli, an agent from Messi’s home country of Argentina who was part of the deal.

A framed copy of the napkin linking a 13-year-old Lionel Messi to BarcelonaCredit: AP

The napkin, which features the date December 14, 2000, bears the signatures of Gaggioli, fellow agent Josep Maria Minguella and Barcelona’s then-sporting director Carles Rexach, who met at a tennis club in the city.

It outlines an agreement in principle to sign Messi and was intended to reassure his father, Jorge Messi, that the deal would go through for the highly talented but young footballer. A more formal and detailed contract with the club for the then 13-year-old followed soon after.

“This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled. Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career,” Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, said 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.”

Lionel Messi went on to become a legend at Barcelona.Credit: Getty

Messi, now 36, made his debut four years later and went on to become a legend, scoring 672 goals for the club in 778 appearances. He won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League finals during his time at the Spanish giants.

The Argentina star left Barcelona in 2021 to join Paris Saint-Germain, and currently plays for Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami.

AP

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