According to Reuters, the napkin that Barcelona used to sign their first memorandum of understanding with Messi has been auctioned off for $969,000. Bonhams New York was the lucky auction house to facilitate the sale of this unique memorabilia.
In December 2000, Barcelona’s former sports director, Carles Rexach, and transfer advisor, Josep Minguella, negotiated with Messi’s father and agent. Messi was only 13 years old and was on trial with the Spanish club. To reassure Messi and expedite the agreement, a contract was drawn up on a napkin, complete with signatures from all parties involved.
Messi’s contract, written on a napkin.
Ian Ehling, head of the books and manuscripts department at Bonhams New York, commented: “Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the napkin that started Lionel Messi’s career. It changed Messi’s life, Barcelona’s future, and gave billions of football fans around the world some of the game’s most glorious moments.”
In August 2021, Barcelona announced their separation from Messi. The club couldn’t navigate their financial issues to comply with La Liga’s salary cap regulations. If Barcelona had signed Messi, they wouldn’t have been able to register him or their new signings to play. This announcement, though fewer than 200 words, broke the hearts of the Catalan club’s supporters.
During his 17 years with Barca, Messi played 778 games, scoring 672 goals and providing 305 assists. He won 35 trophies, most notably 10 LaLiga titles, 4 Champions Leagues, and 11 Spanish and European Super Cups.
While Barca’s history predates Messi, his presence added hundreds of golden pages to their annals. With Messi, Barca soared to global prominence during their peak years (2009-2011), claiming a historic sextuple. Messi’s brilliance brought Barcelona three Champions League titles, matching Real Madrid’s tally during his era.
