Messi Shirt from El Clasico Celebration Sold for Over €400,000
Lionel Messi’s match-worn shirt from the 2017 Clasico has been sold for over €400,000 at auction, making it the most expensive Messi shirt ever sold. A huge sum of money for a football jersey, but still a few zeros off that of his compatriot, Diego Maradona, which went for a cool £7.1 million.
Messi Shirt Sold for Over €400,000
The shirt in question will have been seen by millions of people who may not even have watched the match, as Messi held it aloft in front of the Madrid fans at the Bernabeu to celebrate his stoppage time winner in what became an iconic moment. The photos of this celebration have been shared thousands of times online.
The sale of the shirt was handled by Goldin, specialists in selling collectables, after seemingly being a part of @damianrodrigo’s collection. Instagram user @anishfutbol claims to have bought it.
As was the case with the Maradona “Hand of God” shirt, the authenticity of Messi’s shirt was confirmed by Resolution Photomatching, who analysed the shirt that was auctioned and compared it to photos from the match.
The buyer described it as “the holiest of holy grails for my collection”. The two goals that Messi scored while wearing it - he finished the season with 37 in La Liga - were enough to beat Madrid on the day, but Los Blancos had the last laugh as they pipped Barcelona to the title by three points.
Inspiration and Imitation
Messi was not the first footballer to show off his shirt to the opposition fans after scoring a goal. Ronaldinho did it in his PSG days after scoring against rivals Marseille, and current Madrid captain Marcelo waved his jersey in the faces of Atlético Madrid fans in the 2014 Champions League Final. Messi’s celebration may have been a tribute to his old friend and Barcelona team mate, Ronny, or maybe he wanted to turn the tables on Marcelo.
Although he wasn’t the originator, Messi inspired a couple of similarly memorable post-goal shirt removals in the months following the match. Nabil Fekir incited a pitch invasion when he held up his Lyon shirt to fierce rivals Saint-Etienne, earning himself hero status in the process. The Lyon fans even created an enormous tifo referencing the incident for the next derby that season .
And of course, anything Messi can do, Ronaldo can do better. Cristiano in turn taunted Barcelona fans (and Messi) with his own topless Clasico celebration at the Nou Camp when Madrid won the Super Cup in August 2017.
Can you think of any other shirt-centric goal celebrations? Do you think the jersey was worth the price paid for it? Have your say below.
No More Volt: Reebok Santa Cruz 26-27 Third Kit Released
Brazilian club Santa Cruz FC and Reebok have officially unveiled the team's new third kit for the 26-27 season. Titled "A Profecia de 57", the special-edition release celebrates two defining moments in the club's history: the 1957 anthem written by Capiba that coined the nickname "O Terror do Nordeste", and the 2016 Copa do Nordeste title that fulfilled the prophecy ten years ago.
The Reebok Santa Cruz 26-27 third jersey introduces an elegant black and gold design. Across the black base, intricate golden fractured lines trace the geographical outline of Brazil's Northeast region. The front of the shirt features Santa Cruz's classic interlocking SCFC monogram badge rendered in metallic gold, mirrored by Reebok's vector logo on the opposite side. A sharp v-neck collar with gold trim and matching sleeve cuffs complete the look.
Subtle commemorative emblems highlighting "A Profecia de 57" and "O Terror do Nordeste" decorate the release alongside gold numbering on the reverse. Matching black shorts and socks with gold accents complete the new Santa Cruz third uniform.
Club Africain 26-27 Third Kit Released
Following the unveiling of their home kit earlier two weeks ago, Tunisian giants Club Africain and technical sponsor Kelme have officially launched the club's new third kit for the 26-27 campaign.
The Kelme Club Africain 26-27 third jersey delivers a sleek and stealthy design, featuring a black base elevated by an intricate tonal graphic pattern with calligraphic undertones across the front and sleeves. Strong contrast comes via the classic fold-over collar, styled in red with thin white tipping, matched by solid red sleeve cuffs. Below the rear collar, the shirt includes the club motto "Beyond the last breath" stamped in red.
The shirt is finished with white details for the Kelme paw logo and front sponsor Ooredoo, sitting alongside the traditional red and white Club Africain crest. Matching black shorts and socks complete the full look for the Tunisian side.
Adidas Marseille 27-28
No more Puma - the return of the Three Stripes. More about the Marseille 27-28 kits very soon on Footy Headlines (and already on Kit Creator).
Boca Juniors Tribute: Sint-Truiden 26-27 European Kit Released
Belgian Pro League club Sint-Truidense VV has officially unveiled its new European kit for the 26-27 season, produced by regional brand Olympic. The special strip was revealed during the premiere of the club documentary 'Expeditie Kanarie: de weg naar Europa' at CC De Bogaard, celebrating STVV's historic first qualification for the main stages of European competition in club history.
The Olympic Sint-Truiden 26-27 European jersey draws heavy inspiration from Boca Juniors while paying tribute to the club's iconic late-1980s 'BT-shirt'. It features a royal blue base highlighted by a bold yellow horizontal chest band that accommodates the Maruhan sponsor logo. The STVV crest and Olympic branding are centered neatly above the chest stripe, complemented by yellow trim along the V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs. Matching blue shorts and yellow socks complete the look.
Sint-Truiden will wear the new kit throughout their 26-27 UEFA Conference League league phase campaign, where their fixtures include matchups against Ajax, Hajduk Split, SK Brann, FC Midtjylland, FC Lugano, and FC Iberia 1999 Tbilisi.
