Footballer Lionel Messi has donated the boots he was wearing when he broke the record for most goals scored by a club for a charity auction, and they’re expected to raise a big sum.
The game-worn Adidas Nemeziz Messi 19.1, with which he scored record goal #644 for FC Barcelona against Real Valladolid on December 22, 2020, will be auctioned by Christie’s between April 19 and 30 2021 online.
The charity is in support of the Arts and Health Project of Vall Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, where Messi’s team is based. The boots are estimated at GBP 50,000 to 70,000, which is around $100,000.
“Achieving the record of 644 goals for the same club made me very happy, but the most important thing is being able to give something back to all the kids fighting for their health. We hope this auction serves to really raise awareness about this great initiative and I would like to thank all for supporting a cause so important to me,” says Messi.
Each boot is signed ‘Lionel Messi’, with customisation originally detailed with ‘Antonela Roccuzzo’ (Lionel Messi’s wife) and ‘Thiago, Mateo and Ciro’, Messi’s three sons, and their dates of birth.
The previous holder of this long-standing record was arguably the game’s most celebrated player, Pelé. The Brazilian scored 643 goals in 665 competitive games for Santos, with Messi achieving his feat in 749 appearances.
Back in December, Messi, who had equalled the record in his previous match, collected Pedri’s pass in the 65th minute and calmly slotted the ball past the Real Valladolid goalkeeper to make the scoreline 3-0 before pointing to the sky in celebration, a familiar sight for football fans across the globe.
The Argentinean joined FC Barcelona as a 13-year-old before making his first professional appearance for the senior side in 2004, aged 17. Messi has won 10 La Liga titles with the Catalan side as well as six Copa Del Rey trophies and four Champions Leagues. On an individual level, Messi has won the famous Ballon d’Or on six occasions, a record in its own right for a single player.
The boots are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.
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