Lionel Messi has splashed a whopping £175,000 on 35 gold iPhones to gift them to Argentina’s World Cup-winning team and its staff. The South American powerhouse won their first World Cup since 1986 under the leadership of Messi, who was also the central figure of their triumph with seven goals and three assists in his seven appearances.
The PSG superstar was also greatly assisted by his teammates who rose to the occasion unlike the old times when Messi had to carry the team. The likes of Angel di Maria, Rodri de Paul, Christian Romero, Julian Alvarez and mainly Emiliano Martinez were up to the task in helping their captain realise his lifelong dream. Messi is now set to thanks his mates and the backroom staff through the gold iPhone gesture.
Lionel Messi wants to celebrate his ‘proudest moment’
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, upset France in a thrilling World Cup final to win their third title in Qatar. They prevailed on penalties in the intense game. Argentina’s 36-year wait for a World Cup was finally over with Messi and co bringing it home. And Messi, often honored as the prodigal son of Maradona attained his ultimate goal in the end.
Moreover, the fact that for the first time in 20 years, a non-European nation won the World Cup added to the joy as well. The 2022 World Cup campaign for Argentina was nothing short of spectacular. The La Albiceleste lost to Saudi Arabia in their tournament opener in the Lusail Stadium, causing a great upset. But their comeback is something that will live on in the memory of future generations, wherein they downed the likes of Mexico, Poland, Australia, the Netherlands, Croatia and finally France to lift the Cup.
To celebrate the moment in the most glamorous manner, Lionel Messi ordered the 24-carat iPhones for each member of the victorious team and had it delivered on Saturday to his Paris residence. Each phone has the player’s name, phone number, and the Argentina insignia are all inscribed on it. A source told The Sun:
“Lionel wanted to do something special and blingy to celebrate his proudest moment. He got in touch with entrepreneur Ben Lyons and they came up with the design together.”
CEO of iDesign Gold, Ben said:
“Lionel is not only the Goat but he’s one of IDESIGN GOLD’s most loyal customers and got in touch with us a couple of months after the World Cup final. He said he wanted a special gift for all the players and staff to celebrate the amazing win but didn’t want the usual gift of watches. So, I suggested gold iPhones inscribed with their names and he loved the idea.”
Lionel Messi probably had the best tournament of his life in Qatar, as his seven goals and three assists also won him the Best Player of the Tournament, making him the first player ever to win it on two different occasions. The 35-year-old was also crowned as The Best player for the year 2022 during FIFA The Best awards on Tuesday, adding another individual trophy to his already full cabinet.