Paper napkin ‘contract’ which sealed Lionel Messi’s move to FC Barcelona sells for almost $1 million at auction

The paper napkin containing the understanding which saw Lionel Messi join FC Barcelona has sold for $966,400 (£762,400), sales management firm Bonhams said on Friday. The napkin, which was endorsed to secure the gifts of then 13-year-old Messi in 2000, eventually brought a far higher sum than its unique beginning cost of $380,000 (£300,000). The obligation to an agreement was written in blue ballpoint pen via Carles Rexach, the then wearing head of Barça, on the 6.5 x 6.5 inch napkin. "In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000, within the sight of Mssrs. Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, specialized secretary of FC Barcelona, thus concurs under his obligation and against a few disagreeing sentiments to sign the player Lionel Messi, given that we keep to the sums concurred," Rexach wrote in Spanish. The napkin is additionally endorsed by Horacio Gaggioli, the Argentine specialist who initially carried Messi to the consideration of Barcelona, and Josep Minguella, the exchange consultant to the club at that point. In the wake of moving on from the celebrated La Masia - Barça's foundation - Messi became quite possibly of the best player ever. He made his presentation for the senior group in 2004, matured 16, becoming, at that point, the most youthful player to address the club in an authority match. It was the start of an unbelievable profession, during which time he showed up for Barcelona, broke the club's goalscoring record and won 35 prizes - including 10 La Liga titles and four Bosses Associations.

"Indeed, it's a paper napkin, however the popular napkin was at the origin of Lionel Messi's profession," Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and compositions at Bonhams New York, said in a proclamation. "It changed the existence of Messi, the eventual fate of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving the absolute most heavenly snapshots of football to billions of fans all over the planet." Along with Rexach, Minguella coordinated Messi's underlying tryout with the Blaugrana in September 2000. On December 14, Rexach, Minguella and Gaggioli met for lunch at the Pompeia social club to sign the napkin. Soon thereafter, Joan Gaspart - Barcelona's leader at that point - affirmed and fixed the understanding, changing the historical backdrop of football.