A solid gold replica of Lionel Messi’s left foot is set to go on sale this week for a price of just over €4m.
The Barcelona forward broke a world record in 2012 for goals scored in a calendar year, recently surpassed 300 goals for Barcelona and has just won four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards.
In association with the 25-year-old’s charity organisation Fundacion Leo Messi, Japanese jewellery company Ginza Tanaka have taken a cast of the Argentine’s left foot, which has scored a majority of his goals, and produced a solid gold replica.
Named The Golden Foot, this 25kg cast, which is attached to a gold stand with Messi’s autograph etched into it and displayed on a marble and wood base, will go on sale from Thursday through to the beginning of June.
Produced to commemorate Messi’s record-breaking haul of 91 goals scored during 2012, it is limited to a production run of one and is priced at $5,250,000, approximately €4m.
The cast of Messi’s foot measures 25 centimetres high, 28 wide and 16 deep. It also comes with a certificate of authentication.
A golden foot plate, of Messi’s left footed imprint on a plate of goal, is also on sale for an approximate price of $94,500 – about €72,000 – at a run of 50, whilst 100 half-size versions of Messi’s foot cast are on sale for $42,000 each – about €32,000.
Proceeds from sales of these items will go towards the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011. It is a project that the Fundacion Leo Messi collaborates with.
