For most of us, collecting soccer stickers is something we do for fun.
You can pick up a packet for cheap, flick through to see if there’s anyone you’re interested in, and maybe build an album if you have the time and the inclination. It’s a fun way to indulge a love of the sport without breaking the bank.
But did you know your soccer sticker collection might be able to net you a small fortune? There’s been an explosion of interest in collectible sports stickers in recent years, with some soccer stickers selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the next pack of Panini stickers you pick up could hold your retirement fund.
But it does mean you might want to take a look through the attic, and see if you can find any of these rare collections in a dusty corner.
What Soccer Stickers Are Worth Money?
The first thing you need to understand about soccer stickers is that they are not all created equal.
Some are very valuable indeed, while others are just worth having as a collector’s item, and possess sentimental value more than anything else.
The value of a particular sticker depends on many factors, including its rarity, condition, size, and exactly who it depicts.
Ronaldo Panini Voetbal 95
A sticker of the original Ronaldo, Brazilian soccer legend and goal machine, might net you an incredibly impressive $44,000.
The sticker, showing his trademark grin, was printed in 1995, when he was playing for PSV Eindhoven.
If you have one of these lying around the house, you might want to consider dusting it off and putting it in a safe deposit box — or straight on to eBay.
Zinedine Zidane Panini Foot 92
Zinedine Zidane, otherwise known as Zizou, is a member of two exclusive clubs.
First, he’s one of only a handful of players to have won a World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon D’or. Second, he’s one of the small number of soccer players with a sticker that might sell for a five digit sum.
The 1992 sticker has been listed for close to $42,000, and comes from his time at Cannes.
Erling Haaland 2019
Erling Haaland is already a star player, and he’s still got plenty of time to live up to his full potential.
Those investing in stickers for this young talent are probably hoping he’ll go on to be a legend of the sport, with these early collectibles becoming future investments.
A 2019 rookie sticker is worth a lot now and might be worth even more. Especially if Haaland proves to be the GOAT people think he will be.
Cristiano Ronaldo Panini Fotebol 2002
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best-known faces in soccer. So it’s little surprise that his early rookie sticker can command a hefty sum.
The 2002 Panini sticker, printed during his time at Sporting CP, is a rare example of his early career, and a popular item with collectors.
During his long time in the sport, Ronaldo has been the subject of many sticker collections.
Another with a large listing price is his 2008 sticker, from his first year at Manchester United. This is when his star first began to soar.
Lionel Messi Panini Liga 2004
If you’re talking about Cristiano Ronaldo’s career, then someone is inevitably going to bring up Lionel Messi. And when it comes to collectible stickers, the two are just as closely linked.
A sticker of Messi during his first season playing for Barcelona might bring a profit of several thousand dollars.
Pelé Panini Calciatori 1965
Pele’s soccer playing glory days may be in the past, but his sticker collectibility is at its peak.
His 1965 Panini sticker shows him wearing the famous Brazilian National Team colors. And is a memento of his best years in the beautiful game.
Kylian Mbappé Topps UEFA Champions League 2017
Mbappé showed that the future of soccer was bright when he dazzled at the 2018 UEFA World Cup, and early stickers of the future superstar are commanding a decent price tag. This card, from his time at Monaco, has been listed for several thousand dollars.
David Beckham Panini UEFA 2000
UEFA 2000 may not have been a particularly great tournament for the English team, who were dropped in the group stages, but it was a great time to be David Beckham.
The midfielder is an icon of soccer, and has remained an international star even with his playing days well over. A sticker from this tournament in the Netherlands could be worth more than $3000.
Carli Lloyd 2011 Panini Women’s World Cup
An American and a woman, Carli Lloyd is fairly unusual in the world of high-value collectible soccer stickers.
But with over 300 caps to her name, two world cup wins, two Olympic gold medals, and a growing interest in the women’s game. This sticker is a worthy addition to any collection.
Sticker Books
If you’ve managed to put together a complete sticker collection. Then you could have quite the collector’s item on your hands.
Sticker books can sell from anywhere between a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the year, the tournament, and the condition.
Sticker albums from Mexico 1970 and West Germany 1974 have both been listed for over $5000. And you might not need to have the complete album to sell for a couple of hundred dollars.
Of course, building the album in the first place can cost close to $500, so be careful the acquiring costs don’t obscure any eventual profit.
Final Thoughts
It turns out, soccer stickers might be just as desirable in auction houses as they are in the school yard.
The rarest stickers, featuring early appearances of future legends, have been listed and sold for several thousand dollars.
If you plan on investing, keep an eye out for rookie stickers of players you think show plenty of future promise, and hope the slightly unsteady market continues on an upwards boom.
When I was just starting out with my card collection, I had lots of questions about authenticity, trading, and card conditions. But with not that much information available online, I felt quite alone in my queries. Some questions still haven’t been answered to this day.
This site aims to rectify this, and now, I am passing on my knowledge!
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