So, you want to get into soccer memorabilia collecting, but you’re not sure where to start. Whether you’re entirely new to the sport or have been involved for ages, there’s a lot to know about the world of collecting. This blog post will walk you through the basics of cards and stickers and hopefully have you feeling a little less overwhelmed and a little more excited.

Cards vs Stickers

The big difference between soccer cards and stickers is their price. Generally, stickers are less expensive than cards. The reason for this is that cards tend to be of higher quality than stickers. They’re more durable and have better images, making them better suited for collecting and later selling than collecting casually like stickers. If you’re looking to test the waters in soccer collecting but aren’t ready to go all-in, stickers might be a good place to start. You still get that same thrill and excitement of opening your brand-new packs but without the cost of cards. Over the past year sticker collecting has started to take off.  Sticker collections tend to be much larger in size and include many younger players.  Some of the hottest young players such as Mbappe and Haaland have stickers that are rising in value rapidly!

Manufacturers & Leagues

Now that you’ve decided on cards vs stickers, you’ll want to pick a league (you can branch out into others later, but for simplicity just decide on one). Soccer has an insane number of leagues, making this area one of the most overwhelming for new fans. It’s not like the NBA where all the players are in one league, instead, soccer has leagues all around the world. Depending on your favourite league you’ll have different options in terms of brands you buy from. For beginner collectors, there are two main card and sticker manufacturers you’ll want to be aware of: Panini and Topps. Panini focuses on the English Premier League and La Liga, while Topps focuses on the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League.

Collections

Last but not least, you’ll choose a collection (again, you can branch out into others later, but for simplicity just pick one). There are lots of different collections to choose from, but the following charts break down this year’s most popular choices.

2020 Stickers

2020 Cards

Collecting as an Investment

If you’re looking at collecting as more of an investment as opposed to a hobby, there’s a few different ways to go about it. Ultimately, you’ll want to buy cards for less than you sell them for later on.

There are three main strategies when investing in soccer cards:

• Short-term flipping: this strategy focuses on making money quickly based on a player’s current performance or media attention.
• Medium-/long-term investing: here you’re looking for players who are lined up to have an awesome career and will have cards worth more later on.
• Putting in the work: in this strategy, you’re simply buying cards for cents and selling for dollars – if you’re willing to put in the work there’s a lot of opportunity here.

No matter which strategy you choose, there are a few variables that you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Who the player on the card is: this is most important when dictating a card’s price and value.
• The year of the card: rookie cards tend to be very valuable.
• The condition of the card: better quality cards will sell for higher.
• Scarcity: the scarcer the card, the higher the price.

General Tips

Here are some tips every new collector should know:

• Establish and budget with some wiggle room
• Don’t chase everything
• Buy authenticated/graded cards
• Consider where you plan on storing your cards before you buy them
• Find and buy from a reputable seller like SoccerCards.ca
• Take your time
• Don’t be afraid to Google it and figure out what you don’t know
• Have fun!

Ready to Buy?

If you’ve decided on the collection you’d like to start with, head to SoccerCards.ca and secure your purchase! If you’re still unsure, here are some starter packs that will help you get going:

Stickers

• 2020-21 Panini Premier League Stickers: includes a supersized album and 30 stickers
• 2020 Panini Euro Preview Stickers: includes an album and 51 stickers
• 2020-21 Panini La Liga Stickers: includes an album and 30 stickers
• 2020-21 Topps Champions League Stickers: Includes an album and 36 stickers

Cards

• 2020-21 Panini Adrenalyn Premier League Cards: includes an album, 18 cards, and 2 limited edition cards
• 2020 Panini Adrenalyn Euro Cards Starter Pack Set: includes an album, 106 cards, and 2 limited edition cards
• 2020 Panini Adrenalyn Euro Cards Starter Pack: includes an album, 24 cards, and 2 limited edition cards
• 2020-21 Topps Match Attax Champions League Cards Starter Pack: includes an album, 27 cards, and 1 limited edition card
• 2020-21 Topps Match Attax Champions League Cards Box & Starter Pack Set: includes an album, 207 cards, and 1 limited edition card