Replica of the World Cup Trophy from Messi’s Celebration to be Auctioned; Features Signatures of 8 Stars

The historic moment when Lionel Messi hoisted the World Cup trophy following Argentina’s victory in Qatar remains vivid in the memories of football fans. A replica of the trophy—the very one seen in Messi’s hands during those celebrations—is now set to go under the hammer. This special auction will take place in the United States on November 7.

The trophy will be featured in a sports memorabilia auction hosted by Richmond Auctions in Greenville, South Carolina. It bears the signatures of eight players from Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad.

On December 18, 2022, at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Argentina secured their third World Cup title by defeating France 4–2 on penalties. The thrilling final had ended in a 3–3 draw after extra time.

During the on-field celebrations following the victory, this replica trophy was brought down from the stands. It was passed among the Argentine players for nearly 45 minutes; at one point, Messi held it aloft and kissed it.

Messi shared photos of the celebration on Instagram. His post made social media history, garnering over 74 million likes.

The players who signed the trophy include eight members of the World Cup-winning squad, such as Ángel Di María, Lautaro Martínez, Leandro Paredes, and Guido Rodríguez.

Previously, the trophy had been displayed at the National Historical Museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It should be noted that this is not the official FIFA World Cup trophy, but rather a replica that was part of Argentina’s title celebrations. The expected sale price at the auction has not yet been determined.