Messi, Yamal and 2024/25 Merlin Chrome Checklist Review Information

Topps had pre-orders today for their popular Merlin Chrome for one of the final sets of the 2024-25 season. Hobby boxes dropped at $199.99 for the standard one autograph, three numbered cards, and four atomic parallels per hobby box. The set is always one of the most popular, if not the most popular on Topps' soccer calendar because it tends to have a unique checklist in comparison to other releases from the year.

This year is no different with four teams that previously hadn't been in any of the main releases (Topps Chrome, Sapphire, and Finest) and have a handful of new rookies to chase on the new teams as well as some that are getting their first RC of the year from Topps. Add in the new case-hits and legends autos, and you have a whole new Merlin set for the year.

RELATED: 2024/25 Topps Merlin is here!

New Teams

A staple of the Merlin brand is adding a few smaller teams with chase rookies. 2021-22 had the Mathys Tel chase. However, the 2022-23 season had three massive unique chases with Arda Guler, Victor Boniface, and Desire Doue. This year is no different with a few new unique teams and a rookie to chase.

LOSC Lille

Lille, one of the French giants, has perhaps the most accomplished rookie of the four new teams to chase with Matias Fernandez-Pardo. Fernandez-Pardo, a 20-year-old winger, has 2 goals and 4 assists on the season. Lille also has Ngal'ayel Mukau on the checklist, but he's a defensive midfielder, and his collectability won't be nearly as high as Fernandez-Pardo. Canadian superstar Jonathan David is on the checklist one final time for Lille before he'll be in his Juventus kit for the 2025-26 releases. There are no autos on the checklist, but a classic Eden Hazard can also be found.

Olympiacos

The Greek champions, Olympiacos, were featured in the 2024-25 Topps Flagship release, but only as a one-off "Title Winners" insert, without any player cards. As such, we'll get a few interesting rookies to chase with this set. 18-year-old forward Charalampos Kostoulas has already made a big-money transfer to Brighton in the Premier League, scoring a goal in his first four appearances and earning a cap for the Greek national team. In addition, midfielder Christos Mouzakitis is one of the top young talents in Europe and at just 18 already has 7 caps for the Greek national team. Both will have autos and Kostoulas will also have a coveted Merlin's Gamers.

FK Crvena Zvezda

The team formerly known as Red Star Belgrade and have one of the chase rookies in the product with 18-year-old Andrija Maksimović who has already made a big move to RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. He has just three appearances with the German side, but is all over this checklist. Maksimović will have base cards, base autos, an image variation, a Matchball auto, and Merlin's Gamers insert. They will also have another rookie, forward Uroš Sremčević, who was loaned out to bottom-tier Mladost in the Serbian first league. There's not much to chase here outside of Maksimović.

RSC Anderlecht

If this product came out when 2024-25 Topps Chrome came out, Anderlecht might be a much more enticing team. Midfielder Mario Stroeykens was looking like one of the better young players in Europe, but has struggled most of this season as he hasn't seen a ton of gametime. He's got one goal an one assist through 17 games after having 5 goals and 7 assists last season at just 19. Stroeykens could be a decent hold though as he is still highly-touted and is an attacking midfielder/winger. He'll have his base card and then Mystic Nights and Mystic Nights autos, but surprisingly no base auto. Anderlecht's other rookie, winger Tristan Degreef, will have an auto and Merlin's Gamers.

Other New Additions

In addition to the new teams, Merlin tends to add a few rookies that weren't in Topps Chrome or Topps Finest. Highly-touted Spanish midfielder Mikel Jauregizar joins the checklist for Athletic Club, but will just have a base card. Bologna wasn't in Topps Chrome, but was in Topps Finest, and Santiago Castro's Merlin cards should be more coveted than the RCs out of Finest. Celtic add forward Daniel Cummings, who has already transferred to West Ham United in the Premier League, but is playing in the Youth League.

Chelsea will add forward Tyrique George, and although he was in Finest, like Castro, his Merlin rookies will be the preferred option. FC Salzburg weren't in Topps Chrome and Edmund Baidoo and Moussa Yeo were only variation short prints, so these will be the preferred rookies for them as well. Vasilije Adžić got the variation status for Juventus in Topps Finest, while he was missing from Chrome. Renato Veiga is also in the base set for Juventus, despite playing for Villareal, and having Panini rookie cards with Chelsea.

Rangers will have an exciting rookie in forward Hamza Igamane, who has scored 7 goals and 1 assist in a little over 500 minutes for Lille this season. While he's a little on the older side for prospects at 22, he has been fantastic since his move from Glasgow to France. Tottenham Hostpur have a rookie-heavy checklist as is, but also add Damola Ajayi to the list of their three stud rookie chases. Ajayi won't be as coveted like Lucas Bergvall, Mikey Moore, and Archie Gray though.

Case Hits

So we don't know the difference between the Renaissance, the traditional case hit, and the Renaissance Stained Glass given that the Renaissance was always Topps' answer to the Stained Glass from Panini. However, I think it's safe to assume this Bukayo Saka is the Stained Glass version. I'd assume the traditional Renaissance won't have the stained glass border. The checklist houses all the biggest stars currently playing, as well as three of the bigger rookies with Ethan Nwaneri, Endrick, and Mikey Moore.

In addition to the Renaissance and Renaissance Stained Glass, Merlin will introduce "The Shiny" as a case hit as well this year. All the big names are on The Shiny checklist, and the big rookie chase will be Endrick.

The Merlin Matchball auto has been a staple of the set for the last few years, but this year we will see the debut of the Matchball dual autos. The dual autos are highlighted by Arsenal's rookie duo of Myles Lewis-Skelly & Ethan Nwaneri, Real Madrid's Endrick with Vini Jr., and Lamine Yamal partnered with Robert Lewandowski.