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Robson Sharuko
Senior Sports Editor
IT’S becoming more of a stampede as the world’s unfashionable football clubs gamble on securing the game’s biggest individual prize by luring Lionel Messi, into their stable.

Of course, it’s not going to have a fairytale ending, with the out-of-contract Argentine captain likely to remain at Barcelona or move to Paris St-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan or Manchester City.

Superstars like Messi don’t come cheap, his last four-year contract with Barca, which expired last week, was worth a staggering US$594 million.

The combined financial weight of the unfashionable clubs, who have thrown in their bids for the Messi, might not be enough to even pay him for a week.

But, this hasn’t stopped them dreaming and in a game with a fascination for romance, this is generating headlines around the world as the bidding war reaches fever pitch.

They say one cannot win the lottery without buying a ticket.

And, even though the odds show there is a better likelihood of Herentals ageless forward, Innocent Benza, winning this year’s Ballon d’Or, than any of these clubs securing the signature of Messi, it hasn’t stopped them from trying.

Every day, it now seems, brings another unlikely club into the bidding war, and the latest to join the group of suitors are Egyptian side, Pharco FC.

They are the newboys of the Egyptian top-flight league and they don’t just want to sign Messi, but also Brazilian legendary right wingback, Dani Alves.

“I am working on bringing Dani Alves from Sao Paulo because we can benefit from his experience,’’ club owner Shreen Helmy told ElHadath AlYoum.

“I have met Alves and he told me he wanted to play with Sao Paulo since he was eight years old, and I think I can bring him to the Egyptian Premier League.

“We negotiated with Messi, not to join our club, but to strengthen relations with the player after his contribution to the treatment of Hepatitis C.”

One can forgive the Pharco FC owner, for having such big dreams.

After all, a Brazilian team, Ibis Sport FC, widely regarded as the worst football club in the world, have already made a pitch for Messi.

Their announcement on Twitter, and the conditions they set for Messi to consider, have generated headlines around the world. There is something that makes Ibis Sport FC such a likeable club.

Somehow, they kept going, even when they failed to win a match for four years, between 1980 and 1984, earning themselves a place in the Guinness World Record books.

The conditions they set for Messi, for a 15-year contract, include possible termination of contract, should he score many goals, which could inspire them to the championship, while he cannot demand to wear the number 10 shirt.

That number will always be reserved for club legend, Mauro Shampoo, while Messi has to swear three times in the mirror that Pele was a far better player than Diego Maradona.

Ibis Sport Club even believe Messi will be charmed by their kit colours, with the same stripes like the Barca primary kit, even though their red-and-black shirts make them look more like AC Milan than the Spanish giants.

However, 10 800 likes, and counting, more than 1 500 retweets and acres of space in many of the world’s leading newspapers, show that Ibis Sport Club’s pitch has attracted a lot of attention.

They have also inspired many other clubs to join the race, including Messi’s hometown side, Rosario, where the superstar played for seven years before leaving for Barcelona, at the age of 13.

‘‘Hi, Leo, are you there? In Argentina it is just now July 1 . . . (nothing ventured nothing gained),” the club said.

Dutch second-tier club, FC Volendam, have also thrust themselves into the picture, telling Messi they, among great attractions, ‘‘have great fish,’’ and they ‘‘follow the philosophy of Cruyff’’.

The Dutchman is considered a legend at Barcelona.

We also threw in a bid for Highlanders, which the country’s oldest football club acknowledged and supported, in several tweets, at the weekend.

‘‘Hi Leo, @HighlandersBosso are also interested, we call them Bossolona, hope it will make you feel at home, a house in Vic Falls, best climate in the world, world’s best beef, No. 10 shirt, a five-year-contract,’’ we tweeted, with a picture of Messi, in a Bosso jersey.

And, Bosso acknowledged the tweet, with a response, ‘“From Barcelona to Bossolona.’’

The tweet has generated a sizeable amount of responses, with journalist Moffat Mungazi, adding his voice.

‘‘Good one this, also, the stripes in Bosso’s and Barca’s (shirts) are almost identical, only difference being the black-and-white and blaugrana, I trust King Leo will also thoroughly enjoy his stay among the most hospitable people in the world,’’ he said.

A fan, Malcolm Msipa, feels “Messi will have an opportunity to tour Bulawayo Museum where King Lobengula’s golden spear and shield . . . are kept,’’ while Brighton Mahuni could only say, “it’s good to dream.’’

Former Monomotapa ‘keeper, Artwell Mukandi, was cautious, saying, ‘‘I don’t see the signing-on fee there,’’ while Wellington Mahuni called for order because ‘‘Leo’s one week salary can pay Highlanders players for the whole year.’’

Clearly, they didn’t see the lighter side of all this bidding process.