In commemoration of Lionel Messi’s remarkable, record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or title, adidas commissioned the fabrication of eight distinctive, 14-karat gold ‘championship’ rings, each with a different design to commemorate Leo’s exploits from each Ballon d’Or success.
Every ring will be up for auction later this year, with all revenues going to charitable organisations that Adidas and Messi will pick.
More details about the 8 rings:
The thrill of Leo Messi’s rise to become the greatest football player of all time is captured in the finely crafted features of these rings.
Ring 1 -El Beso (2009)
During the 2009 Champions League Final, Leo became renowned for his boot kiss celebration, which is shown on the ring commemorating his first Ballon d’Or award.
After leaping for a header on the second of Barcelona’s two goals that defeated Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico, his Adidas F50i boot came off.
El Beso and Leo’s famous number 10 are engraved on the ring’s side, while the event (Lionel Messi, Champions League Final, Stadio Olimpico) is etched around the top picture.
Ring 2 -Apunta al cielo (2010)
This ring honours Leo’s late grandmother, a pivotal figure in his upbringing and the inspiration for his now-iconic goal celebration, in which he signals upwards.
Around the top of the ring is the Spanish phrase “Apunta al cielo,” which means “point to the sky,” and the Roman numerals “MMX,” which stands for the year 2010.
The Roman numerals LX on the sides represent the 60 goals Leo scored in 2010, while the wreath at the bottom is a subtle homage to his Argentinean heritage.
Ring 3 -The G.O.A.T. (2011)
People started thinking Leo was the best of all time when he won the Ballon d’Or for the third time in a row in 2011.
The ring depicts a goat rearing up on its hind legs, encircled by the words “Lionel Messi,” in honour of this achievement. AKA “The Goat.” ‘G.O.A.T’ is engraved deeply into the ring’s side to drive home the point.
Ring 4 – El Año (2012)
This ring honours Leo’s historic scoring season. The ring’s impressive ’91’ is encircled by 91 miniature footballs, each representing one of Leo’s 2012 club and national team goals.
El Ao, or “The Year,” as many supporters call it, is engraved on the ring’s side to commemorate the historic season in which Leo set a new single-season scoring record.
Ring 5 -Fourth Champions League Season (2015)
Every footballer aspires to represent his country in the European Championship. Leo’s fourth (‘cuarta’) Champions League was won when he was at Barcelona, and this ring has four trophies and inscriptions celebrating those victories.
‘Campeón’ on the side of the ring alludes to the actual champion that Leo Messi had become, while the Roman numerals for the four years he won (2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015) provide a frame for the artwork.
Ring 6 -6th European Golden Boot Award in 2019
This ring has six Adidas boots on top, six footballs around them, and the inscription “IIIIII Bota de Oro Europea” in honour of Leo’s record-breaking sixth European Golden Boot trophy in 2019.
The years that Leo won the trophy are engraved along the top edge (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019), while the number of league goals he scored in each of those seasons is inscribed down the sides (34 in 2009–10, 50 in 2011–12, 46 in 2012–13, 37 in 2016–17, 34 in 2017–18, and 36 in 2018–19).
Ring 7 -First International Trophy, 2021
This ring commemorates the 2021 Copa América victory that Leo and Argentina shared as a team. The national insignia (El Sol de Mayo – the May Sun) sits atop the South American continent on this ring commemorating Argentina’s triumph against Brazil, and it is encircled by the team’s nickname, “La Albiceleste” (Spanish for “the white and sky blues”).
The ring’s edge has the Roman numerals for the date of the triumph (10 July 2021) and the words “Campeón sudamericano” (Spanish for “South American Champion”) are engraved on the other. Underneath this is a representation of the shaking hands from the Argentine coat of arms, alluding to the cohesiveness of the team that gave Argentina its fifteenth Copa América championship and the country’s first since 1993.
Ring 8 -World Cup Champion in 2023
When Argentina won their third World Cup in Qatar in 2022, the three stars on this ring will signify Leo’s motivation of the team. In 2023, he was named the tournament’s best player and awarded the Ballon d’Or, soccer’s highest individual honour.
‘Campeón del Mundo 2022’ (Spanish for ‘2022 World Cup Champion’) surrounds this image, and the two characters on each side of the ring are meant to reflect the two figures that hold up the earth on the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The X Crazyfast.1 Messi “El Ocho” pack, reimagining Leo’s iconic X Crazyfast boot in a new colour inspired by the tones of gold that can be seen on a Ballon d’Or prize, is also released today to further celebrate the historic event.
Each of Messi’s eight years as the world’s top player is represented by one of the balls on the ball’s side. ‘El Mejor Del Mundo’ (The Best in the World) is printed in beautiful tonal raised print on the outside of each boot, and a single golden goat head is placed right below the laces.
The outsole, burrito tongue structure, and hybrid touch top of the boots are identical to those of Messi’s game footwear. While the X Crazyfast.1 Messi “El Ocho” pack isn’t available in Thailand, other X Crazyfast.1 packs provide Thai gamers with the same high-performance feel.
