Following Lionel Messi’s unprecedented, record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or win, adidas has commissioned the creation of eight iconic, 14 karat gold ‘championship’ rings - with each unique design honouring Leo's achievements from a specific Ballon d’Or win.
Later this year, each ring will be available for auction, with all proceeds going to charities that will be selected by Messi and adidas.
Further information about the rings:
The rings’ intricate design details bring to life the magic of Leo Messi’s journey to becoming the greatest football player of all time.
#Adidas celebrate Lionel #Messi's historic eighth #Ballon d'Or with eight unique 14 karat gold #championship rings honouring his #achievements! 🤩
— Jmsportsghs (@jmsportsghs) October 31, 2023
@sky_sports_football pic.twitter.com/bzNwj2d7rM
2009 - El Beso
The ring that marks Leo’s first Ballon d’Or win showcases his infamous boot kiss celebration from the 2009 Champions League Final. His adidas F50i boot fell off after he leapt to header in the second of the two goals that secured glory for Barcelona at the hands of Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico.
As well as the occasion (Lionel Messi - Champions League Final - Stadio Olimpico) written around the image on the top of the ring, ‘El Beso’ is carved on the side, as well as Leo’s iconic #10.
2010 - Apunta al cielo
This ring pays tribute to Leo’s now iconic goal celebration in which he points skywards in dedication to his late Grandmother who played a huge role in his early life.
‘Apunta al cielo’ (‘point to the sky’ in Spanish) is written around the image on the top of the ring, as well as MMX denoting the year 2010 in Roman numerals. On the sides, LX (Roman numerals for 60) references the number of goals Leo scored in 2010, while a subtle wreath taken from the Argentinian national coat of arms is an additional nod to his roots.
2011 - The G.O.A.T.
Leo’s third consecutive Ballon d’Or in 2011 had people believing he was the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).
This ring celebrates just that, with the image of a goat seen rising onto its hind legs surrounded by ‘Lionel Messi. The Goat.’. The side of the ring re-emphasises this with an impactful ‘G.O.A.T’ carved in.
2012 - El Año
This ring pays homage to Leo’s record-breaking year of goals. The powerful ‘91’ surrounded by 91 small footballs on the top of the ring references the amount of goals Leo scored for club and country in 2012.
The side of the ring has ‘El Año’ etched into it, which is how many fans refer to ‘The Year’ in which Leo made history by scoring more goals than anyone ever has in a single calendar year.
2015 - La Cuarta Champions League
All footballers dream of European glory. The four trophies and the writing around the top of this ring references Leo winning his fourth (‘cuarta’) Champions League with Barcelona.
Framing this, the four years he won (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015) are written in Roman numerals, while ‘Campeón’ on the side of the ring references the true champion Leo Messi had become.
2019 - 6th European Golden Boot award
The six adidas boots on the top of this ring, surrounded by six footballs and ‘IIIIII Bota de Oro Europea’, celebrate Leo winning a record sixth European Golden Boot award in 2019.
The years in which Leo won the award (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019) are etched into the top edge, while the amount of league goals he scored in each of the seasons he won the award (34 (2009-10), 50 (2011-12), 46 (2012-13), 37 (2016–17), 34 (2017–18), 36 (2018–19)) are shown on the sides.
2021 - The First International Trophy
This ring pays homage to the moment when Leo finally found glory with Argentina in their 2021 Copa América title. Celebrating Argentina’s victory against Brazil, the top of the ring sees the national symbol (El Sol de Mayo - the May Sun) on top of the South American continent, surrounded by the national team’s nickname ‘La Albiceleste’ (Spanish for ‘the white and sky blues’).
The date of the victory (10th July 2021) is carved into the edge of the ring in Roman numerals, while on the side we see ‘Campeón sudamericano’ (Spanish for ‘South American Champion’). Beneath this, a symbol of shaking hands from the Argentinian national coat of arms reference the unity of the squad that brought home Argentina’s fifteenth Copa América title - the nation’s first since 1993.
2023 - World Cup Winner
The three stars on the top of this ring represent Leo inspiring Argentina to win their third World Cup in Qatar in 2022. This was arguably the poetic, defining moment of his 2023 Ballon d’Or win as he was voted the tournament's best player, winning the Golden Ball.
‘Campeón del Mundo 2022’ (Spanish for ‘2022 World Cup Champion’) surrounds this visual, while the two figures on each side of the ring represent the figures on the Fifa World Cup Trophy holding up the earth.