Argentine football icon Lionel Messi is set to pick the favourite goal of his career spanning over two decades. It will certainly be a difficult task for Messi, who has scored over 800 goals for his clubs and country since making his professional debut for Barcelona in 2004. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, will unveil his favourite goal on May 22. A depiction of the strike will be transformed into a work of art by Refik Anadol with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). When done, the piece will be auctioned off for charity. The artwork featuring an autograph by Messi will go under the hammer at the New York auction house Christie’s on June 11. For the first time ever, Leo Messi will unveil his favourite goal from his career… The goal will be transformed into a unique piece of artwork by renowned artist Refik Anadol, as part of a landmark charity campaign ?? pic.twitter.com/iLR9OyNHv3 — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 14, 2025 Messi leads the charity campaign that brings together the worlds of football and art. The initiative has also been supported by Inter Miami CF Foundation. The funds raised through the auction will be used to improve education in some Latin American and Caribbean countries. “Choosing just one goal from all of them is very difficult; each one is special, and some are very important or bring back incredible memories. But picking one as my favourite for the first time to make this unique project possible is worth it. There’s a powerful purpose behind it, and I’m thrilled to be part of it,” Messi said. Anadol also expressed his excitement for the project, saying, “It’s an extraordinary honour to join forces with Leo Messi- one of the greatest athletes of our time- in a project supporting nonprofit organisations, including UNICEF, that unites the emotional legacy of sports with the future of art. At Refik Anadol Studio, we’ve always believed in the power of data to tell deeply human stories.” Refik Anadol, known for his pioneering “data paintings,” creates captivating visual art using large-scale datasets. His practice blends art and technology to turn complex information into immersive digital experiences. In this case, Anadol will not only focus on the particular goal but will also evaluate match statistics, the distance Messi covered, and emotional responses from fans. He will craft a dynamic and abstract visual piece by interpreting all those information.