The Club, in collaboration with BCN Visuals, has produced a Hollywood-worthy audiovisual digital art NFT with VIP experiential benefits that aesthetically recreates the moment of Johan Cruyff’s legendary 1973 flying kick and goal. The artwork will be sold during a live auction at Sotheby’s New York on July 29th.
FC Barcelona is launching the first NFT in its history: an audiovisual digital artwork recreating Johan Cruyff’s legendary stadium moment on 22 December 1973 when the iconic Dutch player 'flew' through the air to score a seminal goal against the Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Miguel Reina. The auction at Sotheby's will be presented in a hybrid online-live auction, and will comprise the one-of-one animated edition of In a Way, Immortal, as well as an additional four NFTs that will each include a still image from the animated version, capturing an iconic moment of the legendary goal. The project was made possible with the involvement of the World of Johan Cruyff.
The NFT, called In a Way, Immortal, was produced by the Club in collaboration with BCN Visuals, a strategic innovation partner and Digital Superstudio, who developed the NFT’s cinematographic aesthetic. The buyer of this unique artwork will also be gifted a number of VIP Club-based benefits and experiences, and will be named a Barça Digital Ambassador. Please find further information on the NFT and its benefits below.
‘'The NFT In a Way, Immortal will be forever linked to my father's legacy. He would have been fascinated to see that one of his most beautiful goals with FC Barcelona has been the inspiration to create this unique piece of digital art that we hope will be enjoyed, admired and remembered forever."
In a Way, Immortal is the first NFT in a collection of ten works that will be presented piece-by-piece over the coming months, with each featuring iconic FC Barcelona moments and characters amplifying the Club’s legacy and historical heritage. The collection is part of the Club’s clear strategic commitment to adopting technology and innovation, and in turn, create unforgettable cultural moments -from the past and present- with the aim of both educating and inspiring its millennial, xennial and generation Z supporters, among others.
"Barça with more than 400 million followers in social networks is constantly opening new ways to connect with our fans, and we believe that with the Clubs new NFT strategy we found a unique opportunity to continue growing and consolidating the Barça brand. We´re delighted to feature Johan Cruyff in our first FC Barcelona Masterpiece “IN A WAY, IMMORTAL”, with Johan having such a huge influence on FC Barcelona as a Club, but on modern Football as it is played today in general. This being captured in such an artistic way is a great from of paying tribute to Johan Cruyff, this iconic moment and to the whole legacy and historical heritage of FC Barcelona."
In addition to fostering loyalty among a younger audience, one of the project's goals is to redefine NFTs by creating a premium experiential product into a cinematic experience. The future owner of this NFT, who will be entitled the Barça Digital Ambassador, will also be able to enjoy unique Club-based benefits and experiences such as access to training sessions.
Further information related to the auction can be found at nft.fcbarcelona.com.
The Barça Digital Ambassador will be able to enjoy a number of ‘money can’t buy’ experiences. FC Barcelona will incorporate in the NFT’s smart contract a set of utilities such as Meet & Greets, visits to La Masia, hospitality rights (for a minimum of five years), the right to play at the Spotify Camp Nou and an official handover of the ball before some friendly match.
In a Way, Immortal retells Johan Cruyff's legendary goal in poetic molten gold animation that was created by a 40-strong team of Hollywood’s most talented computer graphics (CG) and visual effects (VFX) artists. The 40-second film is accompanied by an original soundtrack played by a 30-piece orchestra, incorporating real sounds from the Camp Nou stadium and FC Barcelona supporters.
The Hollywood CG and VFX team worked on all aspects of the production, from a digital sculpture of Johan Cruyff to the simulation of golden-coloured fluids, textures and shading, cutting-edge cinematography and camera work. The production of Cruyff’s digital sculpture required more than a thousand working hours and the overall production entailed a total of more than 10,000 production hours.
It all led up to this moment, the moment the legend was born and the hero was made. The humming buzz of hyper-compressed energy fills the void, barely contained within such an incredibly small singularity; it is the initial spark before the eruption, displayed in its full glory as the very fabric of time is infinitely stretched to its individual threads. This is what legends are made of.
Every speck of gold is meticulously placed, every chisel mark on the surface is carefully crafted, and every flying particle is telling the same story, in unison, like voices in a choir. There's something truly magical about this moment, frozen in time yet propelling forward, leaving a bold trail and indelible mark in history.
Emerging and towering above the surface is the man, graced by the light of his monumental feat, a vessel for greatness made forever immortal. A striking pose clearly conveying true purpose, a facial expression accentuating the tangible tension of a moment that defies physics. Past, present and future become one with heritage, legacy and ambition.
He is in total control, aware of the power he has been invested with, embracing it.
As a soft hazy light progressively fills the cold vastness of this void, we begin to sense the comfort and the warmth of a familiar presence. We are not alone here after all. The echo of ten thousand souls cheering disrupts the silence, like the flash of lightning splitting the night. A song reminiscent of ancient empires and civilizations.
The air seems weightless, as Johan is immortalized in the epic pose that will forever be remembered. Epic, elegant, magical. Suspended in time and space, flying forever. The golden moment, the moment the legend was born and the hero was made.
About Football Club Barcelona
FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and is unique in many ways. The Club is owned by its more than 140,000 members. Due to its very special personality, Barça is recognized as being ‘More than a club’.
The team’s distinctive style of play is projected around the world by the best players and coaches of their time in combination with Club’s famous reliance on homegrown talent.
All of this goes hand in hand with its ongoing ambition to become the most admired, beloved and global sports institution on the planet. This mission is supported by such core principles as humility, effort, ambition, respect and teamwork, while the club is also famed for its commitment to society, which is channeled through the FC Barcelona Foundation and its work to educate children through the positive values of sport. Such unstoppable growth in recent years has led to a global reach of more than 400 million fans on social media, being the sports club with the most followers on social networks.
Read LessAbout BCN Visuals
BCN Visuals is an innovation technology company and digital superstudio. The pioneers are best known for winning the best 2021 advertisement in Europe with The Walt Disney Company, creating Coca Cola's iconic Christmas campaign in Times Square and internationally launching Playstation’s new game with cutting-edge technology.
With headquarters in Barcelona and Los Angeles, as well as offices in New York and London, BCN Visuals creates immersive content experiences that blur the line between advertising and entertainment. BCN Visuals have generated billions of online earned media impressions for Netflix, Dior and Amazon Studios amongst many others. The founders, Eric Sas and Alan Company, headlined the Forbes Magazine cover in 2021 and were listed as the 100 Most Creative People, as well as Top 30 under 30.
Read LessAbout World of Johan Cruyff
The World of Johan Cruyff pays tribute to the life and legacy of Johan Cruyff. It’s where all Johan's organisations and initiatives come together; Cruyff Institute (education), Cruyff Foundation (charity), Cruyff Football (football), Cruyff Classics (fashion), Cruyff Library (books) and Cruyff Management.
