Lionel Messi Napkin Fetches Nearly Seven Figures at Auction

Lionel Messi's career in sports has spanned decades and continents in a one-of-a-kind life story. The Argentinian soccer star rose to prominence playing for FC Barcelona and remained with the Spanish team for nearly two decades before eventually making his way stateside to play for Inter Miami. 

Messi became a FC Barcelona legend, but getting him on the team when he was a rising prodigy was no easy feat. Team officials were so ready to sign him that they even drew up a contract on a napkin to tentatively recruit him to the team. Now, we know just how much that napkin is worth. 

According to ESPN, the famous napkin just sold at auction £762,400 ($965,000). Per auction house Bonhams, the napkin contains a short but brief statement of intention written by FC Barcelona coach Carles Rexach. The napkin contract was drafted in front of Josep Minguella, the club's transfer director, and Horacio Gaggioli, the Argentinian agent who introduced Rexach to Messi. 

"In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000 and the presence of Messrs. Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona's sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon," the napkin read in Spanish. 

It was a temporary document that served a massive purpose. An official contract for was drawn up for Messi soon after the napkin agreement. At the time, he was just 13 years old and landed a spot on Barcelona's youth team. 

Messi reportedly ended up bringing in nearly $8,000 for his first year on the youth team. Now, he earns that money in his sleep, as the now-36-year-old is guaranteed at least $20 million for the 2024 season with Inter Miami.