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Lionel Messi had his left foot immortalised in a golden cast worth an eye-watering £3.4 million back in 2013.
Messi had just won his fourth Ballon d’Or when the cast was taken and the replica was created in early 2013, months after his outrageous 91-goal year.
An employee from Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka travelled to Spain for the crucial step in creating the gold model of Messi’s wand of a left peg.
Messi took his left shoe and left sock off and placed his foot in containers filled with clay-like substances for the sculpting to take place.
He also signed his autograph for the complete seal of authentication.
Fascinating footage of the Barcelona and Argentina superstar having the metal cast taken was shared online and showed Messi in good spirits throughout.
It was then taken back to Japan for the magic to take place before it was officially unveiled in Tokyo.
Messi wasn’t at the official ceremony but his brother Rodrigo was and marvelled.
“You can see each line on the foot. It’s an impressive piece of work,” he said, as per ESPN.
The foot of solid and 25 carat gold was valued at $5.3 million (£3.4 million), weighing 25kg and totalling 10 inches in height.
A Messi golden footprint also went on sale for $95,000, as well as a $42,000 gold foot half the size of the life-size version.
It went on sale and a good chunk of the funds went to the Leo Messi Foundation, ultimately helping those affected by the tsunami in Japan in March 2011.
“I’m honoured to have my foot recreated in pure gold,” Messi said.
However, incidentally, the ‘Golden Foot’ award is the prestigious prize which he has never won.
It’s been handed for 20 years, with previous winners including Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
Players have to be have to be over the age of 28 to be in contention and once you’ve won, you are not eligible again.
Messi has been eligible for seven years but for some reason, journalists have not voted him the best player in a calendar year.
Lionel Messi left audience in stitches at the end of Best FIFA Men’s Player award acceptance speech
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Lionel Messi had the audience in stitches at the end of his acceptance speech after winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the second time.
Messi followed up his 2019 success by winning his 77th coveted individual prize after a stellar 2022 where he led Argentina to a stunning World Cup triumph.
His seven goals saw him pick up the Golden Ball award in the Qatar showpiece. And he’s been in fine form for PSG, scoring 17 times and registering 18 assists.
The 35-year-old was widely expected to win and did so by an absolute landslide, with fans, players and coaches voting to give him an overall 52 points.
Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe came second with 44 and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema finished third on 35 points.
Messi collected the prize from Gianni Infantino at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris and was humble as ever in his speech, thanking his competitor and teammates for helping him win the gong.
However, he finished off with a message to his three children by telling Thiago, Mateo and Ciro it was bedtime.
Image: Alamy
“It’s a pleasure to be here again, with Benzema, with Kylian, as both of them had a great year”, he said, as per Football Espana.
“This is an honour for me. I want to thank my colleagues, including my manager [Lionel] Scaloni, and we’re here representing them all as we would not be here without them.
“It recognises the role they played in what we achieved.
“It’s been a crazy year for me. I have achieved my dream, after so much fighting, and so much determination to win it.
Winning the World Cup is the most beautiful thing that has happened in my career. It’s a dream for many, but few can win it.
“I want to thank my family, the people of Argentina, as it will remain in our memories forever.
“I want to send a kiss to my children, who are watching this, Thiago Mateo and Ciro, I love you…… now go to bed!”
As Argentina captain, Messi was able to vote in a slew of FIFA awards. And as per FIFA’s official website, Messi selected his PSG colleagues Neymar and Mbappe as his first two picks, with Benzema coming in third.
Messi was also named in the FIFPRO Men’s World 11, while his Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni won the Best Coach award.
