Lionel Messi’s historic napkin deal with FC Barcelona on auction starting at nearly $275k

Lionel Messi fans with a steep checkbook have a chance to bid for one of the most unique and historic pieces of soccer history. 

The item up for bid by auction house Bonhams: A napkin with blue ink, which signified Barcelona’s commitment to sign Messi to a contract when he was a 13-year-old prodigy from Argentina. 

The bidding began Wednesday at 220,000 pounds ($274,824), and will end on May 17. 

“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,” said Ian Ehling, head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, in a press release. “It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of soccer to billions of fans around the globe.”

The napkin was signed by former Barcelona sporting director Carles Rexach, club transfer advisor Josep Minguella, and agent Horacio Gaggioli, who arranged Messi’s tryout with Barcelona in September 2000. Bonhams is facilitating the auction on behalf of Gaggioli.

Written in Spanish, the napkin states: "In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and the presence of Mr. 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."

Messi, the star of Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer is a 2022 World Cup champion with Argentina and an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as soccer’s best player.  

Messi scored 674 goals in 782 games with Barcelona, and helped the club with 35 titles from 2004-2021. 

"It was never legally binding, but emotionally it represents the deep link or the beginning of the deep link, that Messi had with Barcelona," Bonhams chief marketing officer Marc Sands told Reuters. 

"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.”