Trying to figure out which soccer cards are worth the most money? Here’s a quick guide that takes you through what to expect from each position.
It’s easy to tell if a soccer card is worth money if it happens to be a rare Lionel Messi parallel, but what about the average player you’re likely to find in a hobby box? We’ve sorted through each position, giving an overview of what to expect.
Average soccer card prices: per position
We’ve split each position into a different section, starting with goalkeepers, and moving further along the pitch until we get to the strikers.
Goalkeepers
Often a thankless task, goalkeepers tend to be worth the least, even if you’re looking at the best in the business.
The same is true on the pitch. Chelsea made Spanish stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga the most expensive goalkeeper ever with a $91m fee in 2018, but they definitely overpaid for his services. Try not to make the same mistake yourself.
Goalkeeper soccer card prices
For example, Manuel Neuer is one of the greatest goalkeepers of his era, and captains both Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. He won the World Cup in 2014, and earned two UCL titles. Regardless, his 2007 rookie sticker isn’t worth much.
Defenders (CB, LB, RB)
A slight step up from goalkeepers in terms of values, let’s take a look at average prices for defenders. Once again, it’s tough for defensive players to win awards, whether it’s the Ballon D’Or, or even Man of the Match plaudits. This has a knock-on effect in terms of their card values, and they’re worth less as a consequence.
Centre-back soccer card prices
Typically big and sturdy, centre back soccer cards can be worth decent money, and tend to be more popular than those playing on either side. However, defenders are still cheaper than both midfielders and attackers.
Virgin Van Dijk is a great player, and one of the best from his era. You’ll still be able to grab many of his high-end autos for less than $1,000.
Left back and right back soccer card prices
Unless it’s a legend like Roberto Carlos, left backs and right backs are generally disregarded. Take Marcelo as an example, or Dani Alves. Talented Brazilians who have won it all, but values are still lower than you might have expected.
Midfielders (DM, CM, CAM)
What about players who are expected to control the tempo of a game? Once again, midfielders are worth more than those behind them, but less than attackers.
Defensive midfielder soccer card prices
Unless you’re looking at a legendary DM, these tend to be the worst performing midfielders overall. We’ll use the example of N’Golo Kante, who has won everything in world football, and is a fan favourite. His 2014 Panini Foot RC sticker can be found for less than you might have guessed, even if it’s a PSA 10 version.
Centre midfielder soccer card prices
Unless it’s the likes of Zinedine Zidane or a fellow legend, midfielder cards aren’t worth much in the grand scheme of things. Attacking midfielders are better than defensive options in terms of pure values. For example, Ronaldinho is going to be more valuable than Casemiro.
Left midfielder and right midfielder soccer card prices
Rather than wingers, these are the more industrious players who aren’t afraid to get up and down the pitch. Unfortunately, they’re often disregarded in favour of players with more of a goal scoring threat.
Forwards (LW, RW, CF, ST)
This is where we tend to see higher prices. Forwards win more awards, get more attention, and are more popular with the average fan.
Winger soccer card prices
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Gareth Bale, Neymar, Heung Min Son, the best wingers are major hits in most cases. Of course, Messi is a major outlier, especially after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
Striker soccer card prices
Strikers tend to get the most goals, although the role has changed in recent seasons. Erling Haaland is a great example of a pure striker, along with Karim Benzema, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. R9 is another high-end example. So is Cristiano Ronaldo:
Exceptions to the rule
Basically, card prices tend to follow real-life values, with attackers being the most expensive overall.
Of the top 10 most expensive transfers in the world, there are no defenders to be found. Paul Pogba is probably the least attacking option, and he’s a luxury player who can hardly be bothered to track back.
There are always going to be exceptions to the rule. For example, legends like Paulo Maldini will be more popular than the average defender. The likes of Pele and David Beckham are always going to sell for major money.
Check prices of PSA 10 soccer cards on eBay
Summary
Forwards good, defenders bad. It’s not always that simple, but attackers tend to grab the plaudits in comparison to more defensive players. The same is true whether it’s legends from yesteryear, or the latest rookie cards.