Messi’s napkin, perhaps the most expensive in history

The improvised napkin that became Leo Messi’s first contract for FC Barcelona has been auctioned by Bonhams in London for a million dollar price.

Signed in December 2000 by Carles Rexach, Josep Maria Minguella, the agent Horacio Gaggioli and the football player himself, who was 13 years old at the time, the funny document was made at the suggestion of Rexach, then sports director of the Barça club, including the desire to give the player and his family a guarantee of permanence.

The historic piece was owned by Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli and was offered over nine days in an online auction by the Bonhams house, which has shown it in recent months in Paris, New York and London. Finally, the napkin was auctioned by Bonhams at a price of 762,000 pounds, at the exchange rate, 890,000 euros.

That contract symbolically symbolized a fundamental twist in the history of Barça, acquiring the services of the brilliant player who would eventually win all the titles, the most prolific scorer in a long century of fans of the Barcelona and the greatest star of all time, being the one who won the Ballon d’Or the most times, with eight trophies.

Ian Ehling, head of books and manuscripts at Bonhams in New York, said the napkin, since it was announced going up for auction, had attracted “international attention from many admirers” and was one of the “most interesting” thing they did. had . “Yes, just a napkin, but the famous napkin that started Leo Messi’s career. He changed his life, the future of Barcelona and was instrumental in providing some of the best moments in football,” explained Ehling. What seems clear is that, in the history of mankind, there has never been a napkin with such an expensive price.