Lionel Messi's Favorite Goal Immortalized in Refik Anadol AI Artwork
“It’s about reliving the depth of that split second: what Messi felt, what the crowd felt and what it meant to the world.”
Of the over 800 goals Lionel Messi’s netted over the course of his career, choosing just one favorite is no easy feat, but for the Argentine footballer, his header in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United takes the cake. It’s a moment that crowned an unforgettable year for Barcelona, sending the team on a path to win its first treble.
Now, that moment is being transformed into art in Living Memory: Messi – A Goal in Life, a groundbreaking collaboration between Messi and digital artist Refik Anadol, for Inter Miami CF Foundation’s A Goal in Life initiative.
Taking the form of one of Anadol’s acclaimed “data sculptures,” Living Memory: Messi – A Goal in Life is presented as an eight-minute immersive experience rendered in 16K resolution. The “memory temple,” as the artist described, reimagines the winning header through artificial intelligence, capturing the magic of Messi floating mid-air, sans one boot, as he guided Xavi’s pinpoint cross past Edwin van der Sar.
“For me, this work is about transforming the data from Messi’s favorite goal into living memory – something that we have never done before,” explained Anadol. Anchored by an “architecture of action” – an open-source motion-tracking framework – the piece layers millions of data points, including biometric voice data, breathing rhythms, heartbeat patterns and physiological signals from 17 sites mapped on the athlete’s body to recreate the movement, visuals and sounds from the iconic moment. “This isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about reliving the depth of that split second: what Messi felt, what the crowd felt and what it meant to the world.”
On July 8, the one-of-a-kind artwork will make its physical debut at a dedicated Christie’s sale, with a corresponding exhibition being held at New York’s Rockefeller Center from July 12 through 22. Funds from the sale will go toward several nonprofits, including the Inter Miami CF’s partnership with UNICEF, which expands access to children’s education programs in five countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Head to Christie’s website to digitally experience the moment that helped define football history.
