Lionel Messi has sent Brajan Gruda one of only 208 pairs of his limited-edition adidas F50 Messi El Último Tango boots. The package also included a signed photograph, and it landed for the 22-year-old after a season-long loan move to RB Leipzig from Brighton in July.
Messi's nod to Gruda
Adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen said, "In honour of [Messi’s] 208 appearances for the national team, only 208 pairs were produced worldwide, one of which he wore on the pitch."
He added that "selected pairs from this strictly limited edition were also given to content creators, the media, and Messi's friends and close associates." That puts Gruda in a very small group, and it is hard to ignore the personal recognition behind a gift like that.
Messi had already named Gruda among 10 of the game's most talented youngsters in October 2025, so this is not a random shout-out.
Gruda's Leipzig form
The present lands with some football context behind it. Gruda registered 6 goal involvements in 13 league appearances for Leipzig last term, which is a decent return for a loan spell that was already doing real work before the boot box arrived.
Gruda said, "I'm a huge fan of Messi. He's the best player of all time. [Being chosen] isn't a burden, but a great motivation."
He has also recently returned to light training after a stomach muscle injury in Leipzig's 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen before the international break. That leaves his short-term availability open, but the gift itself underlines how much standing he has built in a year at Leipzig.
The boots are the headline, yet the more interesting part is the combination of recognition and output. Gruda has 6 goal involvements from 13 league appearances, a 7.14 Bundesliga rating across 3 appearances this season, and now a Messi gift that most players would not get near.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
