Nike lost contract with Lionel Messi due to trivial mistake that tarnished relationship before Argentine superstar signed up with Adidas: Reports

A recent report from Mirror has described the reason Nike lost their contract with Argentina star Lionel Messi and why the player decided to tie up with Adidas.

Messi has been involved with Adidas since 2006 and is currently the global face of the company.

However, he used to wear boots and kits made by Nike from the start of his career until 2006.

The Argentine has always been a prodigious talent since his time in the youth academies of Barcelona. He caught the attention of Nike at a young age and the company used to send him boots and other sportswear.

Nike were also the sponsor of Barcelona and it seemed imminent that they would form a relationship with the Argentine maestro.

However, a trivial reason cost them the chance to sign Messi permanently. Lionel Messi's father Jorge Messi asked Nike to send them more athletic gear. The request was not fulfilled by the company which enraged the senior Messi.

To add to that, Nike didn't go all out to prevent Messi from signing with Adidas. The German production company offered Messi a bumper deal to sign with them. Nike refused to match their bid and the Argentine eventually signed with Adidas in February 2006.

Nike had their photoshoots ready with the player ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They went to court against Messi's camp after the switch.

However, the Spanish court judged their claim invalid as Messi didn't sign an actual contract with the company. Rather, they had an oral agreement in place. Hence, the player didn't breach any legal codes by signing with Adidas.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta set to meet Argentina captain Lionel Messi on Sunday

Argentina captain Lionel Messi

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is set to meet Argentina captain and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) ace Lionel Messi in Paris on Monday.

A return to the Catalan club is on the cards for Messi as his contract with PSG expires in June 2023. However, Laporta is not keen to make any comment on the subject yet. Here's what he said (via BarcaTimes):

“On Monday, I will see Leo Messi in Paris. The club will honor him because he is the greatest player in history. He is a PSG player and I can’t talk now about Messi’s return."

He further added on Barca TV (via Mundo Deportivo):

"He is a PSG player and we would not do anyone any favors and we have to respect him. We are very aware of Leo's recognition. There are many Catalans who continue to wear Leo's shirt."