Messi's first contract in 2000 as a 13 year old was agreed to on a napkin.

Sporting Director Carles Rexach knew in 5 minutes that club needed to sign this small kid on a trial from Argentina as fast as possible. The board was not so convinced.

Jorge Messi was asking for a lot. Leo was to live with his family in an apartment provided by the club, not with the other players in La Masia. The apartment would be provided by the club and they would also have to get him a job as well.

At the time even signing a foreign player at 13 was unheard of, let alone one with all these demands. The board refused to approve the request of Rexach to sign him.

Finally Jorge Messi told the club if they would not sign Leo they would return to Argentina or talk to Real Madrid.

At the Pompeia Tennis Club in Barcelona Rexach made the move that would seal the greatest signing in the clubs history.

With no paper available, Rexach asked the waiter for paper, and was given instead a napkin on which he wrote the words:

"In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona's sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon."

The rest is history