Digital artwork showcasing Lionel Messi’s favorite goal from illustrious career sold for $1.87M

A digital artwork by world-renowned artist Refik Anadol, featuring Lionel Messi‘s favorite goal, was sold at Christie’s auction on Tuesday, July 22. The undisclosed buyer won the bid for a stunning $1.87 million.

According to The Athletic, all proceeds from the auction are set to benefit the Inter Miami CF Foundation, which will allocate funds to various charitable organizations. The MLS club’s foundation have a partnership with UNICEF, which focuses on the education of children in Argentina, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti.

Ximena Caminos, the curator of the artwork, released a statement after the auction concluded and said:

“To see a work of art born from Messi’s most cherished goal not only captivate thousands of visitors but also generate vital support for children’s education across Latin America and the Caribbean is profoundly moving. This sale is a testament to the power of art, technology, and sport to create real-world impact. We hope this is just the beginning — that many more around the world will have the chance to experience this emotional, immersive journey into memory, movement and meaning.”

Anadol spoke to The Athletic before the auction and admitted that it was a collaboration he was excited about. He said:

“This isn’t just a collaboration between two people, it’s a dialogue between two disciplines. It’s not artist meets artist; it’s sport meets art. And that’s what makes it so fresh and powerful.”

The artwork was of Lionel Messi’s header against Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final. The Barcelona legend scored past Edwin van der Sar, after beating Rio Ferdinand in the air, to help his side win 2-0.

Lionel Messi picked the 2009 Champions League final goal as his favorite

Lionel Messi was asked to pick his favorite goal that was to be converted into an artwork earlier this year. He took his time before making a decision and went ahead with the header he scored in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United.

After making his pick, the Argentine said (via FIFA):

“It’s hard to choose just one, there have been so many. That goal is my favorite,” he smiled. “It was the most beautiful and unique, because it was a header, I jumped really high, which is rare for me.”

Lionel Messi has scored 874 goals in his career so far, and is just 64 goals away from Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 938. The Argentine is in red-hot form in the MLS with 10 goals in his last six matches for Inter Miami.