Frenkie de Jong avoids signature deal with clever first‑name bid
On a sunny afternoon in Barcelona, Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong parks his car at the sports facility and, visibly amused, begins signing various FC Barcelona‑products. While the camera of El Chiringuito TV rolls, he asks each supporter to state his first name before picking up a pen.
New first‑name bidding
De Jong follows a rule he devised himself: he only signs when the fan addresses him by his first name. He then adds a short, personal message, making the item less attractive to resellers who normally demand high prices for signatures of star players.
This approach targets a recent phenomenon in the football world, where signatures of star players are being massively resold for substantial sums. The extra text greatly reduces the commercial value of the signing.
The Dutch international is currently staying in Barcelona as he is still recovering from an injury. Because of that injury, national team coach Xavi Hernández could not call him up for the national team.
The videos have since gone viral on social media. A tweet from El Chiringuito TV, dated September 24 2026, shows De Jong signing only for supporters who give him their name, with the text: “¡DE JONG se NIEGA a FIRMAR a los 'VENDECAMISETAS'!”.