Lionel Messi has so far spent £175 000 on golden gifts for his Argentina teammates following their 2022 FIFA World Cup victory in December.
The 35-year-old led the Albiceleste to their third World Cup triumph, and their first since 1986, when they were headed by legendary footballer Diego Maradona.
The Paris Saint-Germain star has subsequently been generally praised as the finest player of his age, with many believing he is the best of all time.
Argentina returned to Buenos Aires following their victory in Qatar to euphoric celebrations, with millions taking to the streets to see the team’s trophy procession.
Messi has subsequently declared that winning the tournament was the finest moment of his career, and many of his countrymen have hailed him for his role in re-establishing Argentina as world champions.
Per the Sun, with the victory still fresh in his mind, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner recently acquired 35 24-carat gold iPhones for Argentina’s players and staff through a company called iDesign Gold.
Each gadget is inscribed with the player’s name, jersey number, and the Argentine crest.
“Lionel wanted to do something special and blingy to celebrate his proudest moment,” a source told the aforementioned outlet.
“He got in touch with entrepreneur Ben Lyons and they came up with the design together.”
The golden iPhones were reportedly brought to the FC Barcelona superstar’s Paris apartment on Saturday and have yet to be handed to the recipients.
Lyons, CEO of iDesign Gold, stated: “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.”
