This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/29/2020
Addendum: Details recently added to this description.
Featured here is a player-issued F.C. Barcelona jersey possibly worn by Lionel Messi in 2009. The world famous footballer is arguably the best to ever play the game and has 634 goals in 730 appearances for Barca. During his 2008-09 campaign, he amassed 38 goals and followed that up with 47 goals the very next season. The Joan Gamper Cup is an annual friendly match, held in August on Barca's hallowed Camp Nou pitch, named in honor of the club's founder. This jersey was designed specifically for the August 19, 2009 edition of this match won by Manchester City, 1-0. There was not enough photo evidence from the game to conclusively match it to the first or second half, but these days a player of Messi's caliber is known to wear three jerseys in one day: warm-ups and both halves. It could also be an extra jersey made for Leo that he never actually wore in action on the field. See style match below.
https://www.zimbio.com/photos/Lionel+Messi/Barcelona+V+Manchester+City+Joan+Gamp+Trophy/190GkgvhpGv
The blue Barcelona jersey features an orange Nike logo and the FCB team logo patch on the upper chest. A trio of colors is striped down the middle in burgundy, orange and light blue with the club's famous slogan "MÉS" (Més Que un Club; More Than a Club) in those same colors. Messi's iconic No. "10" is embossed in orange on the reverse below his NOB and another MÉS logo. Barca's gold TV3 patch is sewn onto the left sleeve. Properly tagged inside the collar with the size ("L G G"), the Nike Dri-Fit jersey has additional Nike tagging ont he left front tail with its unique Nike ID code (07232695). The shirt shows light to moderate evidence of wear with some stretching and puckering. Whether it's a true gamer or not, this is a special Messi jersey worn in an important preseason match that Catalan fans always look forward to.