Lionel Messi’s first ever contract at Barcelona has been translated

Lionel Messi signed his first ever contract at Barcelona in 2000 on a napkin. And it has now been translated.

The Argentinian star is one of the most celebrated footballers in the world today. Lionel Messi signed for Barcelona in 2000, making his senior debut in 2004.

The forward has been an integral part for the side ever since. He broke numerous records at the club, including the highest goalscorer in La Liga’s history, as well as winning five Ballon d’Or awards.

The Barcelona board believes that the superstar will retire at the club. Victor Font, one of the presidential candidates for the club’s elections in 2021, stated that he is already in the process of preparing the club to deal with Messi’s retirement, as it would come as a huge blow to the club.

Lionel Messi impressed Barcelona’s the-then first-team director Carlos Rexach during his trial with the club, but the board members weren’t pleased.

Enraged with this, Horacio Gaggioli (who was Messi’s contact in Spain) threatened to take Messi to Real Madrid instead.

However, Rexach was overwhelmed by the footballer’s skills, and met with Gaggioli three months later to discuss a deal for Messi. The contract was finally signed on a napkin.

The components on Lionel Messi’s contract have now been translated:

“In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000, and in the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carlos Rexach, Technical Secretary of FC Barcelona is committed under his responsibility and despite some opinions against signing the player Lionel Messi as long as we maintain the agreed amounts.”

The napkin was made the official document a week later and is still preserved in Gaggioli’s bank safe in Andorra.

Gaggioli has insisted that the item belongs to Barca’s museum, however.

“I think the napkin should be in the Barcelona museum. That piece of paper changed the modern history of the club,” Gaggioli has said.