You can't deny that soccer cards have become extremely popular with old and young soccer fans alike. However no matter whether you're a new collector or a parent to a young soccer fan, it can be a challenge to figure out where to start a collection. Below you will find inspiration and advice to help start your collection today!
The giants of soccer cards
So who is actually behind the famous soccer cards? Well the two main companies producing cards are Panini and Topps. both companies produce a variety of card series based on various leagues and championships. While the primary use of soccer cards are as collectable items, both companies produce cards seres, which double as a playable game. These series are Panini's Adrenalyn XL and Topps' Match Attax.
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Though they have many similarities, both companies have their own specialties as well. Panini are famously known for their collections of soccer stickers, which they have been producing since the 1970's and the main series called Prizm. Topps on the other hand is mostly known for the Chrome and Merlin series and often specialize in rare cards. Some of the most sought after cards include relic cards with parts of actual player jerseys or shoes imbedded within them. It might be a good idea to decide, which brand of cards (or stickers) you wish to collect before you begin collecting.
The many ways of collecting
So how does one collect soccer cards? Well, there are actually many ways you can go about it. How you decide to collect will most likely depend on what excites you about the cards. Perhaps there is a specific team or player that you are especially fond of. In that case you may wish to collect cards of that specific team/player, not really caring which brand the cards originate from.
Another option is to collect all cards from a series. This is often an easier task than trying to collect all cards of a particular player. This is especially the case with new sets, as more cards are in rotation. You could also choose to focus on collecting rarer cards with autographs or players jerseys. Deciding what type of collection you want, is a good way to help focus your efforts and minimize the amount of time and resources spent on completing your collection. That being said - no matter how you decide to focus your efforts, collecting is a time consuming hobby that requires patience, if you wish to find just the right cards.
The most common way to collect, is to try and find all cards from a series. "So what type of series exists?" - I hear you asking. Below you will find a short list of some of the more recent series.
Current soccer card series
Both Panini and Topps release new series of soccer cards each years. This way there are always new cards introducing new players and rookies from the newest season. Usually a series contains cards with players and teams from a specific tournament. This is not the case with the FIFA 365 series, as this is instead a collection of the greatest clubs and players currently in professional soccer.
Where do you start your collection?
If we continue focusing on collecting a specific series, there is a fairly easy starting point. Most series have a specific starter pack that contains a few packs of cards and a small binder for your collection. These packs are a great place to start, especially because of the binders as they help organize your collection and keep track of which cards you are missing.
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From there you can begin buying booster packs to try and find the cards that you're missing. If you're planning on buying a lot of packs, you can save money buy simple buying a full display box. A regular FIFA 365 display contains 50 booster packs, while a regular Match Attax display contains 24 booster packs.
Another option is buying tins. These are cheaper than full diplays, but contain fewer cards. Many of them do however guarantee special limited edition cards of certain players like Haaland or Messi.
Other products
Depending on what type of collection you are going for, there are other products that you might wish to look into. A good example of this are the various team sets from Topps. These include cards solely dedicated to a single team (like Manchester City), but have a higher chance of including special autograph or jersey cards. If you are collecting cards of a certain team, these are definitely the way to go!
TCC Box Breaks
If you are the type of collector that either likes to collect players from specific clubs, and you still enjoy the thrill of opening booster packs and displays, Box Breaks might be just the thing for you! In Box Breaks, several people join forces to pay the price of a booster box, before the seller opens it live on camera. The way you participate is through buying spots, where you e.g. choose to buy the Manchester City spot, which guarantees you all the Manchester City players, that are opened in the box during the box break. If this sounds interesting to you, you can read more about it in this blog post and you can join our Facebook group TCC Box Breaks to watch our livestreams and get all the latest news and updates regarding our box breaks!
You should now have a better understanding of soccer cards in general and of how to start a collection. If you have more questions about the fantastic world of soccer cards, you are always welcome to contact The Card Collective at info@thecardcollective.dk or call us on +4530306899!
