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The contract that started Lionel Messi's pro soccer career is up for sale

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. The contract that started Lionel Messi's professional soccer career is up for sale. Back in 2000, a representative of a Barcelona football team wanted to show his team's commitment to the future star, and to prove it, he wrote and signed that contract on a napkin while at a tennis club restaurant. Messi went on to win multiple championships across 17 years, and at a forthcoming auction, the napkin could sell for over $600,000. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.