Source:
REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
[Saba
Sports News] According to British media reports, the napkin on which Lionel
Messi signed his first contract with Barcelona is set to be auctioned and is
expected to fetch a minimum of £500,000. The iconic napkin contract was created
on December 14, 2000, when Carles Rexach, the then director of Barcelona, met
with Messi’s agent at a restaurant and wrote a commitment to sign on a napkin. The
napkin will be available for bidding in Bonhams’ online auction from March 18
to 27, with a starting price of £300,000. The director of Bonhams expressed
high expectations for the auction, stating that he believes the napkin will
sell for an even higher price. He described it as “one of the most
exciting projects” he has ever worked on, emphasizing the significance of
the napkin in Messi’s career and its impact on FC Barcelona and football fans
worldwide. It has been reported that a bid of £500,000 has already been
submitted, and the final sale price is expected to exceed that amount.