Top 20 Most Expensive Soccer Cards of All Time

According to CNN, the 2020 pandemic shutdowns prompted a rebirth of trading cards. Since there were no live sporting events, bored spectators began searching their basements and attics for old cards and evaluating their value.

 The current record holder is a 1952 Topps Micky Mantle card that cost $5.2 million as of March 30.

Transaction volumes are increasing along with card values. According to The Athletic, eBay processed 4 million more trading card transactions in 2020 compared to 2019 at a growth rate of 142%. According to the website, card producers like Topps and Panini are having trouble keeping their items on store shelves due to the current rise in demand.

With support from well-known endorsers like Mark Wahlberg, Logan Paul, The Ringer's founder Bill Simmons, and Pittsburgh Steeler Cassius Marsh, the pastime has expanded and attracted new fans over the past 12 months.

The prestigious 2018 Prizm World Cup collection has Joshua's excellent rookie card. There have never been any cards numbered from the collection sold at a public auction, and this silver prism last year sold for $550.

Although the German national team is stacked with playmakers, Joshua Kimmich might be the game-changer this year. The 27-year-old Kimmich has a comprehensive skill set, so he will draw from it as necessary to restore Germany's title.

After the U21 EURO group stage, Amin Younes praised Kimmich's defensive awareness in an interview. "He excels at winning the ball back," Younes told the press. Kimmich's playing style was compared to that of Ilkay Gundogan during the U21 competition by Philip Rober of UEFA.com, but other analysts likened him to former Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm.

Another player accustomed to the spotlight of international competition is Sadio Mane. He has been a member of the Senegalese national team since the 2012 Summer Olympics and played a significant role in their World Cup games in 2018. You can bet that Mane's name will be mentioned even if Senegal may not have a chance to win it all.

Sadio's rookie 2012 Panini Bundesliga Sticker is sadly underrated ($550) and only rates as a POP 6 and a PSA 9. This is one of the list's rarest base rookies because there aren't any PSA 10s.

Mane's Liverpool teammate Fabinho characterized him as a complete player who plays with "high levels of effort and attention." Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool defender, referred to Mane as a "world-class winger" and likened him to John Barnes, another former Liverpool star. Former Ajax defender Danny Blind compared him to Cristiano Ronaldo and praised him for his ability to score with either foot and headers, in addition to making "astonishing" sprints.

Another seasoned star seeking to make a difference in Qatar is Son Heung-min. Heung-min, who is 30 years old, will be playing in his third World Cup for South Korea. He has followed a similar professional path to that of Harry Kane, a teammate at Tottenham, and the two may now compete this fall.

His rookie card, which sells for only $750-$1,000, is from the 2011 Topps Fussball sticker collection. On the other hand, some scarce Heung-min cards from Topps Chrome, Prizm, and Impeccable have reached prices of $7,300.

Son competed for South Korea on the national squad at Nigeria's 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He had three goals in this competition. Son made his debut for the South Korean national team in a pre-tournament friendly against Syria on December 30, 2010, after being nominated to the squad for the AFC Asian Cup on December 24, 2010. Son's first goal for his country came against India in a 4-1 victory at the tournament finals. He became the AFC Asian Cup's youngest-ever goal scorer with this accomplishment.

Alphonso Davies, the pride of Canada, has tried to boost his squad in Qatar. Davies, another young gun on this list, is 21 years old. However, he has extraordinary pace and control, so he will be a crucial member of the Canadian team.

We will be concentrating on the 2018 Immaculate version of the collectible rookie card for the Bayern Munich winger rather than the 2018 Donruss Optic version. The extremely difficult grade of the 2018 Immaculate RC displayed above went for $1,500 last year.

Davies was invited to many Canadian under-15 and under-18 camps in 2014 and 2015, despite being a Liberian citizen by birth. He was selected to the Canada Under-20 team on March 17, 2016, in time for a friendly matchup against England Under-20. Davies participated in a Canadian under-17 camp in November 2016, where he scored a goal against Jamaica.

For his efforts with the under-17 and under-20 teams in friendlies, he was named the U17 Male Player of the Year in 2016. One of Davies' aspirations, he said in an interview in March 2017, "is to be able to represent Canada." Due to his performances with the senior team, he was again named the Canadian under-17 male player of the year in 2017.

Modric, who is 37 years old, is accustomed to playing on soccer's grandest stage. He has competed in the World Cup every year since 2006, and if Croatia advances far this year, he will be a crucial player.

Other priceless cards of the Real Madrid midfielder may be found in sets like Topps Chrome, Sapphire, and National Treasures. But the consensus is that his 2008 draft year was his rookie year. The card is currently a POP 16 and has sold for as much as $2,130 in March 2022.

One of his generation's best, most talented, and most successful midfielders, Modric is highly respected. Jonathan Wilson claims that Modri's ability to focus on offensive and defensive responsibilities distinguishes him from more conventional playmakers. He was compared to Paul Scholes, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Andrea Pirlo because of his fair play, skill, and football knowledge. While his primary role models were fellow countryman Zvonimir Boban and Italian maestro Francesco Totti, he had also been compared to Johan Cruyff in his youth.

In June, a 2021 Topps First Edition Orange Parallel sold for $2,500. If it doesn't demonstrate the effectiveness of prospecting as a pastime, we're still determining what does. In any case, Gavi will make his international debut against Costa Rica and is one of the top young soccer players.

Young Spanish sensation Gavi plays for his country alongside colleague Pedri from Barcelona. Although the midfielder's talent is undeniable, the 18-year-old still has much to show. He's also doing it all while leaving his shoes undone.

Graham Hunter of ESPN praised Pablo Martin Paez Gavira as a highly dedicated young player in 2021, comparing him to former Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta due to his skills as a player, including his dribbling, anticipation, intelligence, vision, passing, close control, first touch, ability to turn quickly and change of pace, and ability to tackle out of tight spaces and start counter-attacks. Following his performance in Spain's victory against Italy in the 2021 Nations League Finals semifinal, Italian defender Emerson Palmieri said of Gavi that he "has enormous potential."

Harry Kane, one of the top strikers on this list, will lead the English national team. Kane has already had a stellar career with Tottenham, including a 30-goal season in 2017. He and other newbies, like Phil Foden, are committed to returning with a gold medal to England.

Despite its small size, this 2014 Topps EPL Rookie card consistently sells for $3,500 or more. Furthermore, it is only a POP 10. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will find it on an auction website soon.

Kane started his professional career at Tottenham Hotspur, where he quickly advanced through the organization's junior academy before being promoted to the senior team in 2009 at age 16. Kane was born and raised in the London district of Waltham Forest. Leyton Orient, Millwall, Leicester City, and Norwich City are just a few clubs he was on loan to in the English football league.

Following Mauricio Pochettino's appointment as manager in 2014, Kane's influence at Tottenham grew. During his first entire season with the team, Kane was the second-highest goal scorer in the Premier League, scoring 31 goals in all competitions. He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The talented Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is aiming for a back-to-back. Benzema, one of the elder players on this list, is 34 years old, but he still exhibits the playmaking talent that could help France win several games at the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

This rookie from the 2006 Panini Foot set exemplifies the value of sticker cards in the soccer market. It is a POP 47 with a PSA 10 grade, and at a PWCC weekly auction, it has fetched as much as $3,600.

Benzema, a French international, made his debut for France in 2007 at age 19. He won the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 2004. Since then, he has amassed almost 95 caps, is France's fifth-highest all-time leading scorer, has participated in four major tournaments, and has scored in three of them. After being charged in a blackmailing scandal in 2015, Benzema was controversially left out of the France team for the 2010 World Cup and did not play for France for more than five years. He has since made his way back into the lineup.

He has received four French Player of the Year awards from France Football. Benzema won the Ballon d'Or and the UEFA Player of the Year for his efforts in 2021 and 2022, making him the fifth French player to do so. He is the second-oldest honor recipient at 34 years and 302 days.

Phil Foden, who will play in his first World Cup this fall, has swiftly become one of the world's most gifted young athletes. At the age of 17, Foden earned his Manchester City debut. Since then, he has developed into a vital member of the team.

If there is one trend that fans have seen in the hobby, it is the ongoing search for young prospects. The 22-year-old Englishman is also no different. The 2018 Donruss Optic contains his first officially recognized trading card. Although his Gold Vinyl 1/1 has not yet been publicly sold, this Green Parallel #/5 did so in June for $6,500.

After England's victorious Under-17 World Cup campaign, Foden made his professional football debut in 2017 and won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup Golden Ball award. The following year, he made his City debut, and in December, he was named a BBC Young Sports Personality for 2017.

Since then, Foden has made over 100 appearances for the team and earned nine awards, becoming the Premier League champion at the age of 19 in the process.
He became the club's youngest-ever UEFA Champions League goal scorer in 2019 and is the youngest English player to start a game and score in the competition's knockout stages. He also won his second Premier League title that year.

As the apparent star of Belgium's team, Kevin De Bruyne is on his way to his third World Cup appearance. De Bruyne, a talented midfielder, has played for Manchester City for the past seven years. In the meantime, he has built himself a sizable fan base and a spectacular record of achievements.

A Panini sticker, which is notoriously challenging to grade, is De Bruyne's rookie card from 2010. Only a POP 3, this card most recently sold for $11,000 in January 2022.

Still, at his peak, Robert Lewandowski has made a significant difference for Bayern Munich and the Polish national team. The 34-year-old striker will now want to expand his résumé with FC Barcelona. He will be aiming for a significant fall season with the Polish squad.

Lewandowksi has precious Prizm and Select Golds, much like many other people. His 2008 Panini, which sold for $12,500 in April 2022, is noteworthy. This card, a POP 5, could be a wise investment. Fans have seen if the hobby starts to take a shine to Lewandowski, who is one of the sport's more underappreciated players.

The young Christian Pulisic, like Kylian Mbappe, has contributed significantly to the expansion of the market for modern soccer cards. He rapidly became one of the top players for the United States thanks to his talent and flair. As long as he stays fit, "Captain America" should put on a strong show during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

There are numerous acceptable rookie cards for Pulisic, including the 2016 Select and 2016 Donruss cards. But none are as spectacular visually as this 2018 Gold, which sold in March 2022 for more than $15,000.

Since making his career debut in 2009, Neymar has been tearing through defenses, and he will be crucial to Brazil's success this fall. The 30-year-old attacker has 74 goals in his career with the Brazilian side and is almost sure to add to that total shortly.

With a sale price of $19,200, Neymar's 2009 Abril Gol rookie card is also his most expensive to date. It depicts the rising star during his time with Santos, long before his time at Barcelona or PSG.

Jamal Musiala, a Bayern Munich midfielder, is another young and talented player on this list. Many people questioned whether another striker could match Robert Lewandowski's output after he left the Bundesliga club this year. Musiala appears to have all the necessary skills to become the next big name at Bayern, despite his youth.

The 19-year-old  has already produced several five-figure transactions. His 2020 Stadium Club Chrome Superfractor PSA 10 eventually closed for $22,800. This 1/1 beauty's value could be worth much more if Musiala leads Germany to a deep playoff run this fall.

Jude Bellingham is another new name in the market for soccer cards. He'll try to help out a solid English club. Bellingham is among the names on this list who are the youngest; he will turn 19 this summer. It would be interesting to see if his brilliance can translate to England after we previously saw it at work for Dortmund.

One of the highest prices we've yet seen was paid for Jude's 2020 Topps Chrome Superfractor when it was sold last year for nearly $28,000. Although fans eagerly await his international team debut this fall, his potential is undeniable.

Bellingham became the second-youngest England scorer at a World Cup with his maiden goal for his country, a header from Luke Shaw's cross to start the scoring in England's 6-2 victory over Iran in their first match of the Qatar 2022 World Cup on November 21, 2022. Additionally, he made the run and passed to Harry Kane, who crossed for Raheem Sterling to score England's third goal. He also supplied the through ball that Callum Wilson used to set up Jack Grealish for England's sixth goal.

Vinicius Junior is one of the game's top wings. Vini Jr. joins a loaded Brazil team in the World Cup, unlike other players. Vinicius prepared to play at the highest level in Qatar, which could increase demand for his cards.

His 2018 Panini Treble Platinum 1/1 Rookie ($37,065) is Junior's most expensive card. Other Vini rookies, though, are available in packs like the 2018-19 Donruss Optic and the 2018 Panini Megacracks.

On November 24, Junior and Brazil took on Serbia in the first match of the World Cup and won by 2-0.

Pedri has already achieved success playing midfield for Barcelona. Being compared to guys like Andres Iniesta is an honor for someone who hasn't even reached the age of 20, and it's a high accolade. When Spain's national team takes against Costa Rica on November 23, Pedri looks to Spain.

His 2020 Topps Finest Superfractor auto, which sold for approximately $43,000 in April 2022, was Pedri's most expensive rookie card transaction. Additionally, he has cards from Topps Merlin and Donruss Optic, both of which continue to fetch a respectable sum of money.

Kylian Mbappe, unquestionably the most mature young soccer player, has attracted the same attention that athletes like Zion Williamson and Justin Herbert have in their respective sports. And like the superstars described above, Mbappe has a skill set that never ceases to astound spectators.

The 2018 Prizm Gold sold for a final price of $216,000 in August, making it the largest ultra-modern soccer sale to date. Additionally, the 2017 Select, 2017–18 Topps Chrome, and the 2016 Panini Foot Ligue 1 sticker collection all contain rookies of the budding PSG star.

With the release of his first-ever licensed autograph collection, which has already sold for five figures, Mbappe recently impacted the hobby. A strong result in Qatar will only help the young Frenchman, who is already well-known in the pursuit.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most admired person on earth and has won the Ballon d'Or five times. He also has 32 senior trophies. At this stage in his career, he had surpassed stardom and attained legendary status. He and the rest of the Portugal team still hope to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy in 2022.

An extremely popular soccer card from the 2002–03 Panini Mega Craques has sold for as much as $300,000. Few of the players on the list will ever reach the level of Ronaldo and Messi in soccer and popular culture, despite the fact that many of them have strong card sales and a promising future.

It's only fitting that one of the most legendary athletes in sports history is featured at the top of this list. Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or a record seven times, is now recognized in the same breath as players like Pele and Ronaldinho, who have achieved legendary status. Despite having almost every record in the books engraved with his name, he still longs for Argentina to win the World Cup.

Messi's authentic rookie card, almost universally, is the 2004 Panini Sports Mega Cracks. The second-largest Lionel Messi sale has occurred, with a price as high as $336,000.

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