Today’s Soccer Stars’ Very First Trading Cards
Only every four years people in Canada will care about the score of a soccer game between Iceland and Croatia. You might love soccer, or maybe you just watch the Final so that you can participate in the conversations of your coworkers the next day. The only thing we can say almost for sure is that, whether you love it or just tolerate it, you have heard of Messi, Neymar, James (which is pronounced as Hahm-Ez), and Ronaldo. Either that or you have simply lived under a rock your whole life.
Whichever the case is, you should keep scrolling and see the first trading cards where today’s soccer idol appeared before they were our idols.
Neymar Jr.
The earliest card featuring Neymar,l appeared in the year 2009, back when he was a 17-year-old playing in Brazil for the Santos FC. He emerged as a soccer star after winning the Player of the Year Award four years in a row, becoming one of Brazil’s most popular soccer players. He joined the FC Barcelona for the start of the 2013-14 season and made his debut in the World Cup in Brazil 2014. So, yes… everyone should have known about Neymar by now.
Cristiano Ronaldo
This card belongs to those far away days when Cristiano Ronaldo played for the Sporting Clube de Portugal. Ronaldo is considered by many, way many, the best player in the world, and even one of the greatest of all time. He also holds the record for being the European player who has won the most Ballon d’Or Awards, which he has been awarded fives time. In the year 2003, at age 18, while we were still deciding if we liked our majors, he signed with Manchester United. Six years later he was transferred to the Real Madrid. In case you were wondering, this transfer was worth €94 million.
2002-03 Panini Mega Craques Cristiano Ronaldo #137
James Rodríguez
His soccer career started at age 16, when he started to play for the Envigado FC. He then moved to Club Atlético, however, he remained unknown until he joined the FC Porto, where he won the Portuguese Golden Ball. James had already started creating a name for himself, but it wasn’t until the World Cup in the year 2014 that he gained instant universal fame.
2010-11 Panini Futebol Portugal James Rodríguez #377
Lionel Messi
Messi has spent his entire professional career playing for the FC Barcelona, hence the reason his first trading card is playing for this top of the line team. Like Ronaldo, many also consider him the best player in the world and one of the greatest of soccer history. Messi moved to Spain to join the Barcelona at age 13. He had been diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and the Barcelona agreed to pay for his medical treatment. After seven years playing for the team, Messi was granted the FIFA World Player of the Year award. He debuted in the World Cup in the year 2006, at age 19, and is considered by Argentinians a sort of second Maradona.
2004-05 Panini Mega Cracks Lionel Messi #71
Now you have something else to talk about until the World Cup comes to an end. You are welcome!