The world football icon Lionel Messi will choose his favorite goal between his entire career (he has scored 860 goals) so that the artist and key figure of contemporary art Refik Anadol makes him an unprecedented work of art, the same that will be auctioned for UNICEF and the Inter Miami Foundation, in a beneficial campaign that will begin on May 22 and will end with an auction on June 11 in New York.
The best player of all time. An iconic goal. A pioneering artist and a mission that transcends the world of sport. The final work, signed jointly by Messi and Anadol, will be auctioned in Christie’s, with the benefits destined for solidarity initiatives.
Leo Messi has scored more than 800 goals throughout his brilliant career, the last one only a few days ago against Minnesota in the MLS.
Many of them were decisive to achieve their achievements or starring historical moments; Some remember their beauty, others for their brilliance.
Some scored them defending the Argentine National Team; Others, with FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain or Inter Miami CF. Each occupies a special place in the heart of fans around the world.
Much has been commented and even discussed on the most prominent goals throughout its trajectory: for the achievements they represented or their unique aesthetics. However, now, for the first time, Messi will choose his favorite goal on a personal level. And he will do it to carry out an artistic and solidarity project never seen in the history of football and art.
The chosen goal will be released worldwide on the social networks of the Inter Miami CF Foundation on May 22, at 11:00 am et, and will be immortalized thanks to an unprecedented collaboration with the Refik Anadol artist, a key figure of the art of the 21st century, whose creations sculpted with data have redefined the limits between art and technology.
The benefits of this historical initiative – which is expected to break collection records – will be allocated to beneficial projects. Among them is a collaboration between the Inter Miami CF Foundation (IMCFF) and UNICEF that promotes access to quality educational programs for children in five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The final work, which will be officially revealed in New York on June 11 by the leading auction house worldwide, Christie’s, will carry the signature of both artists and consist of two interconnected elements: the most pure visual representation of the chosen goal by Messi and the artistic interpretation of Anadol, generated from millions of data points linked to that moment.
Incredible memories
«Choosing only one goal among all is very complicated, each one has something special and there are some very important or that bring me incredible memories. But highlight one as a favorite for the first time for this unique project to be possible, it is worth it. There is a very strong purpose behind, and it makes me very happy to be part, ”said Goat Messi.
For his part, Refik Anadol commented: “It is an extraordinary honor to join forces with Leo Messi – one of the greatest athletes of our time – in a project that supports non -profit organizations, including UNICEF, and that unites the emotional legacy of sport with the future of art. In Refik Anadol Studio we have always believed in the power of the data to tell deeply human stories. Using AI to visualize Messi’s favorite memory is both a creative and ethical effort: celebrating emotion, memory and excellence ».
«Education is the fuel of dreams. Therefore, in Inter Miami we are committed to supporting programs that provide access to education for all, ”said Jorge Mas, Managing Owner of Inter Miami CF. «We are excited to see Leo’s favorite goal through Refik’s artistic gaze. This innovative collaboration unites the best soccer player in the world with a renowned artist to create a unique piece that will benefit our educational initiatives. It will really be a work of art without equal ».
Led by the Inter Miami CF Foundation, the project to Goal in Life – for which the Foundation invited Leo Messi and Refik Anadol to participate – has the creative direction of Xavier Roca and the artistic curatorship of the renowned art expert Ximena Caminos. The auction will conclude on July 25 in Christie’s New York.
A unique story that begins today and that is presented with the unmistakable voice of Guillermo Francella in the Spanish version and the iconic narration of Morgan Freeman in its English version.
