“Madonna, do you have it?”.

It is the question that Celta de Vigo has asked in recent days, and that has gone viral on social networks globally. The question asks the iconic singer with the aim of determining whether she is in possession of the t-shirt she wore on July 29, 1990 during her show at the Balaídos stadium, the first major international concert that Vigo hosted, within the framework of the “Blond Ambition” European tour.

The Galician club has assured that it has been immersed in a private investigation for years about the whereabouts of the shirt, but that it has come to a standstill. Now, 36 years later, the team has launched a call to the fans with the intention of locating the garment and incorporating it into their historical archive. “For Celta, it is a unique and unrepeatable garment that is part of its emotional heritage.”, he explained in a statement.

The search and invitation to participate has been carried out in various ways. One of them has been to mobilize fans to share any relevant information about the whereabouts of the shirt, for which a form has been enabled so that Celta fans could provide the pertinent information.

However, the bulk of the communication has been directed at Madonna, mainly because she is the one Celta de Vigo presumes to be the owner of the garment, but also seeking international notoriety for the club. Marián Mouriño herself, President of Celta de Vigo, has written an open letter to the singer in which she asks if she knows where the shirt is located or even if she keeps it.

In the text he assures that his performance in Balaídos with the team shirt is a “fond memory still lingers“between the fans and that the photo with the garment, taken by photographer Víctor de las Heras, “It has become a myth and is part of our history, which is often written beyond the limits of the football field.“. He also explains that the search is “an act of memory, a symbol of part of the emotional legacy of our club and what it represents”.

“Although ours wasn’t the only football shirt you’ve worn on stage, this iconic image has taken on a different shine over the years.s”; Mouriño explains in the letter. “Over time, we have better understood what you stood for then: questioning established norms and standing up to those who try to tell you what you can or cannot do. In our club we identify with this line of thought”.
With this, the President invites Madonna to contact the club to provide more information about the shirt.

Click to see the letter in full screen

In addition, the club has shared the aforementioned photograph on social networks, inviting users to join in finding the shirt. Its messages have been amplified organically by all types of users and also by national and international media, turning the search into a global effort.
The strategy has even featured in some of the questions at the usual pre-match press conference, in which the team’s coach, Claudio Giráldez, has valued the originality of the action and the way in which it reaffirms the personality and values ​​of the club and links the passion between generations of fans.

The communication initiative of the Vigo club has also taken advantage of the visibility around the match played on March 6 against Real Madrid. When they took the field, the players wore a t-shirt with the text “Madonna, do you have it?” (Madonna, do you have it?), reaffirming the club’s ambition to find the garment and receive a response from the artist.

Furthermore, as the President stated in her letter, Celta de Vigo has dedicated “a gesture of affection” to the singer in a special action at the Abanca Balaídos stadium before the match. The SonDeSeu folk orchestra performed a version of the song “Like a Prayer”, under the prism of traditional Galician music. It marked, as the club commented in a statement, the first time in 25 years that SonDeSeu addresses a pop theme.
For Celta de Vigo, the performance and adaptation of the theme is a new example of how its roots and tradition can dialogue with international icons without losing its essence.

The strategy has met the objective. And the day after the performance and the match, Madonna responded to Celta de Vigo. Through a publication on X, in which he shared the version of his song, he indicated that he had the t-shirt among the objects in his collection. “I wear it and represent your team with spirit!”Madonna pointed out.
In response and gratitude, the club has indicated its love and admiration for the singer. “Thank you for responding and for keeping a part of Celta’s history alive. Always Madonna. Always Celtic”, he said.