It is not a title, but displayed in the showcases of the FC Barcelona museum it would arouse much more interest than many trophies. A napkin changed the history of the Blaugrana club (and that of football) in December 2000. It was signed by Lionel Messi at the age of 13 as his first unofficial contract together with his then agent Horacio Gaggioli, Carles Rexach, technical secretary of the club of the time, and Josep Maria Minguella, the discoverer of talent and who paid for his support (that of the child and that of his father Jorge) until they settled permanently in Barcelona, ??both from Rosario. As La Vanguardia has learned, that napkin will be auctioned by Bonhams, a prestigious specialized British company, between March 18 and 27. The estimated price of the sale will range between 300,000 pounds (about 350,000 euros) and 500,000 (585,000 euros). The object, which remained kept in a safe, has been offered in the name of Horacio Gaggioli, according to Bonhams. On his day, Gaggioli commented that he would give the precious relic to the Barcelona museum, but his auction denies such a possibility. The club must bid like any other person or organization to acquire it.
On the napkin, whose image appears in this information, the following text was read, written in blue pen by the hand of Carles Rexach: “In Barcelona, ??on December 14, 2000 and in the presence of Messrs. Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, technical secretary of FC Barcelona, ??undertakes under his responsibility and despite some opinions against it to sign the player Lionel Messi as long as we remain within the agreed amounts.”
The reason for such a unique way of closing the agreement between the parties is part of the Barcelona legend, not fictional but real. Messi, only 13 years old and very small, had crossed the Atlantic to follow his growth treatment and was captured by a collaborator of Minguella, who was captivated watching him in action on video playing with Newell’s Old Boys.
His first months in Barcelona, ??however, were not easy at all. The negotiations stalled because some members of the board were reluctant to see Messi as a future elite footballer, especially due to his short stature. At that lunch, held at the Pompeia tennis club chaired by Minguella, Jorge Messi arrived impatient due to the lack of response from the club. Rexach, who had only needed five minutes of Messi training live to realize his talent, sensed that things had reached the limit, asked the restaurant waiter for paper and he offered him a napkin with which he improvised the wording that would unite the paths of Messi and FC Barcelona.
The Argentine is today considered by many the best player in history with, among other titles and recognitions, a World Cup with Argentina, 8 Ballon d’Ors, as well as four Champions Leagues and 10 Leagues with FC Barcelona, ??a club of which he is the top scorer. of history. The napkin measures only 16.5 x 16.5 cm. That same night, the president of FC Barcelona, ??Joan Gaspart, transformed that spontaneous document into a more solemn and official one.
Ian Ehling, head of Books and Manuscripts at Bonhams in New York, one of its many branches around the world, considers that “this is one of the most exciting objects I have ever handled. Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the beginning of Lionel Messi’s career. “He changed Messi’s life, the future of FC Barcelona and contributed significantly to creating some of the most glorious moments in football, for billions of fans around the world.”
