Lionel Messi’s 2004-05 Barcelona rookie card has shattered records, selling for a staggering $1.5 million in a private sale brokered by Fanatics Collect‘s private sales network. This marks the highest price ever paid for a soccer card, eclipsing the previous record of $1.33 million for a 1958 Alifabolaget Pele card sold in 2022.
The sale underscores the escalating value of rare sports memorabilia and the growing demand for top-tier trading cards, notably those featuring global icons like Messi. Fanatics Collect’s network, launched in August, facilitates high-end transactions-deals of $10,000 and up-connecting elite buyers with cards not publicly available. The network generated $8 million across 30-40 transactions in its first full month.
The Messi card, graded a perfect 10 by PSA and further certified with a Mike Baker Authenticated Diamond certification-a designation signifying exceptional condition-is one of only 20 Gem-Mint 10s identified by PSA among the 838 copies of the No. 71 card from the set.
This sale follows another recent private transaction of $1.1 million for an identical, PSA 10-graded copy of the card, also facilitated by Goldin Auctions. The surge in value highlights Messi’s enduring legacy and the increasing investment potential within the collectible card market.
