Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal Set New Sales Records as World Cup Market Heats Up

There are two names in the soccer side of the hobby that dominate the conversation more than any others right now: Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. The two have some of the highest sales in soccer card history.

With the World Cup less than a month away, the soccer market is on fire, and these two superstars continue to set record after record. According to Card Ladder, the soccer market index is up 11.42%.

We'll break down the latest records from each of Messi and Yamal and look at how the new records compare to some of their other historic sales.

Lamine Yamal: New Base Card Record

Lamine Yamal's all-time sales record is 2024 Topps Chrome Euro Superfractor Auto 1/1 in a PSA 10. It sold for $396,500 back in June of 2025. It's still one of the biggest soccer sales of all-time.

Lamine Yamal Stadium Club Superfractor | Card Ladder

Earlier this month, the PSA 10 Lamine Yamal base Superfractor 1/1 from 2023-24 Stadium Club Chrome sold for $177,600 on ALT. At the time, it was the highest-selling base card from Yamal. Although the record only lasted 9 days.

A new leader in the clubhouse emerged on May 16th as the PSA 10 2023-24 Donruss Lamine Yamal Optic Gold Power 1/1 sold for a whopping $219,600 at Heritage over the weekend. It is the second time this card has been sold at auction. On ALT in 2024, this same card sold for $53,657. A huge flip for the buyer in 2024 to sell now for that much.

A New Lionel Messi Record for a non-Rookie Card

The Lionel Messi market feels like it hasn't slowed down in years. Even a move to Inter Miami of MLS hasn't been able to slow things down. Granted, neither has he, as he has 5 goals and 4 assists in his last four games.

The 2004 Lionel Messi Mega Cracks #71BIS is one of the most iconic cards in the history of collecting. It is one of the few soccer cards to ever sell for over $1 million. Now, a new record has emerged for his top non-rookie card.

Lionel Messi 2014 Gold Prizm | Card Ladder

Before this weekend, the 2014 Lionel Messi Gold World Cup Prizm PSA 10 stood as the highest sale of a non-Mega Cracks Messi card. Back in April of 2022, this sold for $522,000 at Goldin Auctions. The 2014 World Cup Prizm set is considered one of the best ever produced for soccer sales.

Messi Sole of the Game Gold Auto /10 | Card Ladder

However, another iconic set, 2015 Panini Flawless Soccer, has also had its fair share of big sales. Now, none bigger than the Flawless Sole of the Game Signature Gold /10 Lionel Messi in PSA 7. It sold at Heritage for $549,000 on May 16th in the same Heritage auction as the Yamal.

The record sales for both Messi and Yamal, combined with the upward trend in the soccer market leading up to the World Cup, show that it isn't just the temperature getting hot this May.

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