Midway through Lionel Messi’s final season at Barcelona, 160 goalkeepers were sent a total of 644 bottles of Budweiser beer between them.Each bottle represented one of Messi’s 644 goals for Barcelona.Why was that particular number significant? Messi scored his 644th Barça goal against Real Valladolid, breaking Pele’s long-standing record for most goals scored for a single club in the process.To celebrate Messi’s achievement, Budweiser sent personalised bottles of beer to every goalkeeper that the legendary Argentine forward had scored against up until that point.The bottles all featured a specific number alongside an image of Messi celebrating.Each bottle was accompanied by the following message: “This feat is made even more extraordinary given they were scored against the best keepers in the world. We know of no other competitors more worthy of celebrating. Kings aren't made overnight.”
Some of the goalkeepers who received one or more of the bottles posted a message on social media.
Gianluigi Buffon tweeted: “.@budfootball... thanks for the beers. I’ll take it as a compliment. We have great battles over the years! Congratulations on breaking the 644 record #Messi! it really is an unbelievable achievement. Cheers!”
Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak posted: “Congratulations on your great achievement of 644 goals, Leo. I never like conceding but the challenge of stopping you brings the best out of goalkeepers too. Thank you @budfootball for the special gift.”
And former England No. 1 Joe Hart wrote: "Nothing but respect for the great man @leomessi seems strange to be ‘proud’ to have conceded goals but at the end of the day we are dealing with greatness... congratulations and it’s just a privilege for me and to be a part of his history and a achievement that will never be matched."
Messi is such a legend that the ‘keepers who received the beers (some of them iconic names in their own right) felt honoured rather than insulted by Budweiser’s ingenious stunt.
Which goalkeepers received the bottles of Budweiser beer?
A complete list of every goalkeeper who received the bottles of beer can be seen here:
(Image credit: Reddit)
No ‘keeper received more bottles than former Valencia star Diego Alves.
The ex-Brazil international conceded 21 of Messi’s 644 goals.
Second on the list was former Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper Gorka Iraizoz (18), followed by Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas and Anders Fernandez (17 each). Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, was sent nine bottles.
While all 160 goalkeepers would have hated conceding Messi’s goals at the time, at least it ended up with them receiving one or two free beers years later.
Or, in Diego Alves’s case, a free crate.
