A jersey worn by Lionel Messi during his Barcelona days has emerged as the star attraction in a football memorabilia auction, selling for $66,107 (around ₹56.4 lakh)—more than six times the price fetched by a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey.The signed Messi shirt, worn during Barcelona’s 2012 visit to Manchester United at Old Trafford, was sold as part of the personal collection of Rod Thornley, the former Manchester United masseur who worked closely with the club’s first team for years.
A Ronaldo jersey from his Real Madrid days, also from Thornley’s collection, fetched $10,601 (around ₹9.05 lakh) at the same auction.The Messi shirt also has a unique story behind it. Thornley reportedly obtained the jersey through a personal request to Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué ahead of the club’s 2012 trip to Old Trafford.
The auction result highlights the extraordinary demand for memorabilia associated with football’s two biggest modern icons, with Messi’s Barcelona shirt commanding a price more than six times higher than Ronaldo’s Real Madrid jersey.
