Lionel Messi has revealed his favorite goal from his 860 career scores—a 2009 UEFA Champions League final goal for Barcelona against Manchester United—as part of a collaboration with media artist Refik Anadol. Anadol will transform the goal into an AI-powered data sculpture, which will be auctioned online at Christie's New York from June 11 to July 25, with proceeds supporting educational charities in Latin America and the Caribbean through the Inter Miami CF Foundation and Unicef.
This project merges sports celebrity with cutting-edge digital art, highlighting how AI and data-driven artworks can serve philanthropic causes. It also underscores the growing trend of athletes and cultural figures partnering with contemporary artists to create unique, collectible works that bridge popular culture and the art market, potentially attracting new audiences to both arenas.