Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, with billions of fans and players. But when it comes to collecting cards, soccer is still catching up to other sports like basketball, baseball, and football. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some amazing and valuable soccer cards out there. Some of them have sold for millions of dollars!

In this article, we’ll take a look at the 10 most expensive soccer cards ever sold, and what makes them so special. We’ll also give you some tips on how to start your soccer card collection, and what to look for in the future. Let’s get started!

Kylian Mbappe 2018 Panini Prizm World Cup Gold Prizm #80 – $200,000

Kylian Mbappe is one of the hottest stars in soccer right now. He’s only 23 years old, but he’s already won the World Cup with France, four league titles with Paris Saint-Germain, and numerous individual awards. He’s also the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final, and the second-most expensive player ever transferred.

His 2018 Panini Prizm World Cup Gold Prizm card is a rare and shiny card that features him in his France jersey, celebrating a goal. It’s numbered only 10 copies and one of them sold for $200,000 in March 2021. That’s a lot of money for a card that was released just three years ago, but it shows how much potential Mbappe has as a player and a card.

Cristiano Ronaldo 2002 Panini Sports Mega Craques #137 – $240,000

Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend of the game and one of the greatest players of all time. He’s won five Ballon d’Or awards, the most prestigious individual honor in soccer, and he’s the all-time leading scorer for Portugal, Real Madrid, and the UEFA Champions League. He’s also won five league titles, five Champions League titles, and the European Championship.

His 2002 Panini Sports Mega Craques card is his rookie card, and it shows him as a young and promising player for Sporting Lisbon before he moved to Manchester United and became a superstar. It’s a very rare card, as it was only released in Portugal, and it’s hard to find in good condition. One of them sold for $240,000 in February 2021, making it the most expensive Ronaldo card ever.

Lionel Messi 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Qatar Gold Power Prizm #7 – $250,000

Lionel Messi is another soccer icon and the main rival of Ronaldo for the title of the best player in the world. He’s also won five Ballon d’Or awards, and he’s the all-time leading scorer for Barcelona and Argentina. He’s won 10 league titles, four Champions League titles, and the Copa America.

His 2022 Panini Prizm World Cup Qatar Gold Power Prizm card is a futuristic and flashy card that features him in his Argentina jersey, ready to play in the next World Cup. It’s numbered only five copies and one of them sold for $250,000 in January 2021. That’s a huge price for a card that hasn’t even been released yet, but it shows how much hype there is for Messi and the World Cup.

Lionel Messi 2004 Panini Sports Mega Cracks #71 – $300,000

This is another Messi card, but this one is his rookie card, and it shows him as a teenager, making his debut for Barcelona. He’s wearing the number 30, which he later changed to 10, and he’s already showing his trademark skills and style. It’s a very rare card, as it was only released in Spain, and it’s hard to find in good condition. One of them sold for $300,000 in March 2021, breaking the previous record for a Messi card.

Erling Haaland 2019 Topps Chrome Bundesliga Autographs Superfractor #91 – $360,000

Erling Haaland is one of the most exciting and prolific young strikers in soccer. He’s only 21 years old, but he’s already scored over 100 goals for Borussia Dortmund and Norway. He’s also broken several records, such as being the fastest player to score 20 goals in the Champions League, and the youngest player to score a hat-trick on his debut in the competition.

His 2019 Topps Chrome Bundesliga Autographs Superfractor card is a stunning and unique card that features him in his Dortmund jersey, signing his name. It’s numbered to only one copy, and it’s the only card of its kind in the world. It sold for $360,000 in April 2021, making it the most expensive Haaland card ever, and the most expensive modern soccer card ever.

Pele 1957 Balas Futebol #11 – $400,000

We’re back to Pele, the king of soccer, and this time we have his second-most valuable card. It’s from 1957, the year he won his second World Cup with Brazil, and it shows him in his Santos jersey, smiling and holding a ball. It’s a very rare card, as it was only released in Brazil, and it’s hard to find in good condition. One of them sold for $400,000 in March 2021, making it the most expensive Pele card ever sold at auction.

Lionel Messi 2014 Panini Prizm World Cup Gold Prizm #12 – $522,000

This is the third and final Messi card on this list, and it’s his most valuable one. It’s from 2014, the year he won his fourth Ballon d’Or, and it shows him in his Argentina jersey, celebrating a goal. It’s a gold prizm card, which means it has a shiny and reflective surface, and it’s numbered to only 10 copies. One of them sold for $522,000 in April 2021, making it the most expensive Messi card ever, and the most expensive modern soccer card ever.

Diego Maradona 1979 Panini Calciatori #312 – $555,000

Diego Maradona is another soccer legend and one of the most controversial and charismatic players of all time. He’s best known for leading Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986, where he scored two of the most famous goals ever: the “Hand of God” and the “Goal of the Century”. He’s also regarded as one of the greatest dribblers and playmakers ever, and he’s revered by millions of fans around the world.

His 1979 Panini Calciatori card is his rookie card, and it shows him as a young and talented player for Argentinos Juniors before he moved to Europe and became a star. It’s a sticker card, which means it was meant to be stuck on an album, and it’s very rare and hard to find in good condition. One of them sold for $555,000 in December 2020, shortly after Maradona passed away, making it the most expensive Maradona card ever, and the most expensive sticker card ever.

Pele 1958 Alifabolaget #635 – $1,000,000

This is the second-most expensive soccer card ever sold, and it’s another Pele card. It’s from 1958, the year he won his first World Cup with Brazil, and it shows him in his Brazil jersey, scoring one of his six goals in the tournament. It’s a very rare card, as it was only released in Sweden, the host country of the World Cup, and it’s hard to find in good condition. One of them sold for $1,000,000 in February 2021, making it the first soccer card to reach the million-dollar mark.

Pele 1958 Alifabolaget #635 – $1,330,000

This is the most expensive soccer card ever sold, and it’s the same card as the previous one, but in a higher grade. It’s also from 1958, the year Pele won his first World Cup with Brazil, and it shows him in his Brazil jersey, scoring one of his six goals in the tournament. It’s a very rare card, as it was only released in Sweden, the host country of the World Cup, and it’s hard to find in good condition. This one is graded PSA 9, which means it’s in near-mint condition, and it’s one of only six copies in the world with that grade. It sold for $1,330,000 in March 2021, breaking the previous record for a soccer card, and making it the most valuable soccer card of all time.