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Lionel Messi launches 'Messiverse' crypto-art collection

Messi has launched own collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) titled "Messiverse"

messi-psg-afp (File) Lionel Messi arrives with his family at El Prat airport in Barcelona | AFP

Argentine football megastar Lionel Messi has launched his own collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) titled "Messiverse", reports Reuters. 

The crypto art, created with Messi's image, by Australia-based digital designer BossLogic, who is known for his work with Marvel Studios and Disney, will go on sale on Friday. Works in the collection will be available for purchase on the Ethernity Chain platform, known for producing original NFT pieces for sportstars.

Messi, 34, is portrayed as a king, superhero and Greek titan in works entitled "Man from the Future," "Worth the Weight," and "The King Piece" that celebrate his career highlights.

An NFT is a form of crypto asset which uses blockchain to record the ownership status of digital objects, such as images, videos and text. While anyone can view the item, only the buyer of an NFT has the official status of being its owner.

The market for NFTs has exploded in recent months. In March of this year, Christie's auction house sold a digital work by the artist known as Beeple for almost $70 million.

"Art is like football. Eternal," Messi said on his Twitter account in early August announcing the launch.

Messi recently left Barcelona after more than 20 years to join Qatari-owned Paris St Germain (PSG). He had won 35 titles, including four UEFA Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys, and eight Supercopa de Espanas.

His signing-on fee includes some of the French club's cryptocurrency fan tokens. 

BossLogic said depicting Messi had been "a huge honor" in a post on Twitter in which he shared the "Man from the Future" artwork, which shows an image of Messi from behind, with the number 30 jersey that he will wear at his new club.

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