Top 5 High-end Soccer Sets of All Time!
Ahead of an incredible year ahead for soccer cards, we’re taking a look back at the greatest high-end soccer sets and ranking our top 5 of all time! These sets feature some of the best cards we’ve ever had for iconic names of the beautiful game, as well as some of the most expensive soccer cards ever sold! One small thing to note, we have featured only sets that were defined as high end at the time, so sets like 2017 Topps Chrome and 2014 Panini World Cup Prizm are not included despite boxes carrying a hefty premium in today’s market!
Without further ado, here’s our top 5 high end soccer sets of all time!
5. 2017 Panini Immaculate Soccer
Kicking us off at number 5 we have 2017 Panini Immaculate Soccer, the first iteration of Immaculate to be released and one of the earliest high end sets. Featuring both national teams and domestic clubs, a relatively small 100 card base checklist and tons of on-card autographs and exceptional match-worn patches, Immaculate absolutely deserves its spot on the list. You can find the first licensed Diego Maradona on card autographs, and Messi, CR7 and Pele are all heavily featured (albeit Leo with sticker autos). The design is clean and not too busy, and the print run is short with all autographs numbered to /99 or below and all patches /75 and below.
4. 2016 Panini Noir Soccer
Coming in at 4th on our list, 2016 Panini Noir Soccer is a fan favorite release that has grown in popularity over the last few years - leading to Panini reviving the brand for a 2024 edition of the set (that was originally due to release in March, now November…). As the name would suggest, Noir leans heavily on black and white styling across the set, and the cards look phenomenal as a result of this. Patches are predominantly match or game worn and look exceptional on the black background, and there are tons of on-card autographs for the game’s biggest names. One particular subset has shot up in popularity of late, ‘Spotlight Signatures’ features on card autographs of 10 popular players, signed in gold ink. The most recent Lionel Messi Spotlight Signatures (PSA 7) sold for $122,000 on auction in September. Let’s hope Panini can do this legacy set right when we see Noir return before the end of the year.
3. 2022-23 Topps Dynasty UEFA
Probably one of the more divisive selections on the list, the inaugural release of Topps Dynasty Soccer and Topps first real attempt at a high end soccer product. This product was heavily delayed, but definitely hit the nail on the head when it comes to delivering a prestige high end set. All cards are numbered either /10, /5 or /1, the autographs are all on-card and the patches all match worn - including for some legends who haven’t kicked a ball professionally for 30+ years. We love the design of these cards though understand they aren’t to everyone’s taste. Dynasty would probably have been higher positioned on the list, but for the ongoing Mystery Redemption saga which have yet to be processed by Topps.
2. 2022 Panini Eminence Soccer
2022 Panini Eminence has always felt undervalued from a singles perspective - this is the definitive high end set celebrating the World Cup for the year in which Lionel Messi cemented his status as the greatest of all time. Eminence is not a product for the faint-hearted, featuring a 5 figure price tag, 1 box and 10 total cards. The hits are brilliant throughout featuring virtually all of the top players in the world and tons of legends with on-card autographs (bar Pele who is sticker). I know the question will also be asked, why not 2018 Eminence? 2018 features gold ink autos, a debatably better checklist, and some unique legend autographs. The main reason is from a QC standpoint - players like Thierry Henry signed in an ink that almost instantly faded away, ruining the majority of his cards. Messi’s autographs are also heavily speculated in this set to not have been his own. Many will prefer 2018, but the significance of 2022 and the overall quality give it this position in our rankings.
1. 2016 Panini Flawless Soccer
Probably to nobody’s surprise, the top high end set of all time that we have only ever seen once - 2016 Panini Flawless Soccer. This set has just about everything - on card autographs for Messi, CR7, Pele and many more of the greatest to ever do it. Unbelievable match worn patches and boot relics, including the fan favorite ‘Sole of the Game’ cards. These were Messi and Ronaldo’s first ever match worn on card patch autos, so the significance of this set can not be understated to collectors. The design is exceptional, making these cards pretty iconic, and the market has shown historically to place cards from Flawless as the top tier modern high end set.
