Messi has shown himself as an active and open star, who enjoys spending time with his fans. Because of this, there are thousands of items that have his signature. Many of them can be bought and collected. Here are 5 examples.
Some celebrities may delight in the fact that fans can't get their autographs easily. The way they see it, having an expensive or exclusive signature of theirs is a sign of status. Some of these big names, like Paul McCartney, tend to refuse to sign autographs, so on the rare occasions a fan can get their hands around one, the price spirals up to $5,000.
One would expect memorabilia signed by Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player to ever play on a soccer pitch, to be utterly inaccessible. However, his signature is not even among the most expensive athlete's autographs — an unflattering category reserved for basketball, baseball, and football stars.
Messi is directly responsible for making his autograph accessible. Over the years, he has signed thousands of items. This, added to the law of supply and demand, has brought about the prospect of acquiring Messi's signed memorabilia at not-so-staggering amounts of money (although some items still have titanic prices).
To show the wide variety of signed items, some of which you can buy, and some of which are a bit harder to acquire, here is a list of 5 examples of Messi signed memorabilia.
1. Join The Planet signed boot
We start with a piece of Lionel Messi signed memorabilia that is easy to find and really affordable, especially when compared to some of the pricier collectors’ items that also have his signature.
The Genesis Edition boot — currently on sale, with worldwide shipping — is a collectible cleat that displays a replica of Messi's signature. Its design was inspired by Messi's fabled left boot, and it is rendered in shades of blue and light blue, with orange caps. The white signature stands out among these colors, all encased by a glossy acrylic case.
Source: jointheplanet.earth
It was created by Join The Planet, a foundation, as part of an official sustainability effort that has Messi as an ambassador. The boot is made of recycled plastics and fishing nets that were recovered from seas and rivers around the world, like the Paraná River in his home country, Argentina, or even China.
To keep things official, this Messi collectible comes with a digital certificate that registers the buyer as the legitimate owner. You can buy the Collectors’ edition for $199, and the Limited edition for $359 online at the Join The Planet website.
2. Topps Chrome Messi card
Sports cards have always been a popular pastime. They have stirred up collectors for over a century. But nowadays, with the sports cards and memorabilia market expected to reach a stupendous $227 billion — not so far, for example, to cloud computing’s market cap — by 2032, a piece of paper with a sporting star printed on it is potentially quite valuable, especially if it displays a signature as well.
Lionel Messi appears on many different cards that portray him all the way through his career: from the Argentina national team to Inter Miami. One of the signed cards currently up for sale is the 2020–21 Topps Chrome card. It shows Lionel Messi scanning the pitch wearing the jersey of Barcelona FC, the club where he played the most. The legitimacy of the signature is vouched for by Beckett, a firm that specializes in autograph authentication.
Mockup. Actual product may vary. Source: Steinersports.com
Prices begin to spiral up as we go down the list, and this card can be bought for almost $1,400. Due to limited stock, they will all probably be sold soon, especially as Messi's retirement looms around the corner. After all, when he finally leaves the field for the last time, who would not want a keepsake to remember his greatness?
3. FIFA World Cup 2022 signed plaque
Messi, like many other soccer stars, has a deep appreciation for his fans and has always seemed eager to spend moments with them, sign autographs, and give back a part of all the love he gets from them.
This item would be profoundly appreciated by any fan, even without a signature on it, as it is a memoir of one of the most important and moving moments of Messi's career. With his autograph on it, its emotional — and real — value reaches up to the sky.
It is a plaque that contains a framed picture of the moment he, after years of effort, was able to finally lift the FIFA World Cup in 2022. In the poster, you can see part of the team that accompanied him on the way to the finals, with players like Emiliano Martínez and Rodrigo De Paul. Beneath the picture, a golden Messi signature stands out from a black background. This official signed memorabilia can be bought for around $1,400.
The process for producing this official and signed memorabilia is a bit contrived. Messi signs plenty of times on a black sheet of paper. Then the vendor cuts out a portion of that signed black slate that’s then framed below a photo of choice. It’s a collector’s item made with Messi’s consent and his signature. But it’s still a prefab collectable that’s as customized as a “Place Your Logo Here” coffee mug.
Mockup. Actual product may vary. Source: Icons.com
4. Barcelona Messi signed jersey
As a souvenir of those illustrious years of playing for Barcelona FC, this jersey has Messi's signature inscribed over the yellow number 10 on its back. The design dates back to 2012, the year in which Lionel Messi smashed a soccer record by scoring 91 goals in one calendar year.
Its silver frame makes it a good article for hanging in a living room, though some fans may be tempted to break the case and use the shirt for what it was made for: being worn and scoring. We will not judge. Whether you want to wear it or just stare at it, you can buy it for around $2,100, which still seems a bit expensive. Fortunately, it’s a flat fee you’ll need to pay, and it’s not up for auction. The site clearly has the item in stock, but it’s unclear how they handle worldwide shipping.
Fun fact: the jersey also displays the UNICEF logo, yet another organization for which Messi acts as an ambassador, and one that further proves he enjoys connecting with people and fans, no matter their age, background, or nationality.
Mockup. Actual product may vary. Source: Elite-exclusives.co.uk
5. UEFA Champions League signed ball
Actors sign autographs on pictures and posters. Musicians, on instruments or records. We have already seen Messi's signatures on boots, jerseys, and even sports cards. It seems obvious that one object is missing, the one that cannot be missing if soccer is to be attempted: a ball.
In this case, the ball is a replica of the one used in the UEFA Champions League, Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Messi has participated in the tournament 18 times and is one of its all-time top scorers, so the ball is an enduring piece of memorabilia that reminds us of his long career in two European clubs, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Mockup. Actual product may vary. Source: Icons.com
It was signed in May 2024, so it is as fresh as an autograph gets to be (although Messi didn’t participate in that edition). It also comes with a digital certificate of authenticity. As long as there is available stock, it can be bought for around $1,900, although there are some recurring price drops. It is not for juggling with.
Get official Messi signed memorabilia that’s also affordable
The list could go on forever. Messi, even though he probably is one of the most recognizable names in the world, has dedicated a great portion of his career to fans, and that, of course, includes signing autographs. He has even donated signed items to charities like the Rosario Food Bank, as the profits from signed item sales can help generate extra cash for any fund.
With a personality as active and open as his, Messi’s signatures are probably running around freely. This should come as a warning call for collectors: the fact that there are many Messi signatures available does not mean that every autograph out there is real.
Efforts are being made on this topic, and studies show that 80% of signed memorabilia will be authenticated by 2033 in the primary market. Companies like eBay and Fanatics are launching authentication services. With that said, collectors should still keep their eyes wide open for possible scams.
It is best to rely on official efforts when buying Lionel Messi's signed memorabilia. And, if authenticity comes with accessible prices, even better. Buy the most affordable item on this list, the Genesis Edition boot, on the Join The Planet website. Each boot comes with a unique authentication method based on blockchain technology, so you’ll make sure you have the real thing, and the secondary market will be able to know that too.
Buy the Join The Planet signed collectible boot by Leo Messi now.