For $1.35 million, you can’t buy Cristiano Ronaldo — but you can buy his trading card

Cristiano Ronaldo has spent his entire career rewriting football history on the pitch, and now the Portuguese superstar has achieved another remarkable feat away from it. One of the rarest collectible cards tied to the Al Nassr forward has been sold for an eye-watering amount, further underlining his global appeal far beyond football itself.

A unique green 1-of-1 2018 Panini Kaboom card featuring Ronaldo during his spell at Juventus was privately sold on May 24 for an astonishing $1.35 million through a Fanatics Collect deal, according to ESPN. The transfer of ownership represents one of the biggest moments ever in football memorabilia and confirms the growing demand for ultra-rare collectibles connected to elite athletes.

The sale officially became the most expensive Cristiano Ronaldo card ever purchased and now ranks as the second-priciest soccer card in history. Only Lionel Messi’s rookie card, which sold for $1.5 million, sits above it, while it also surpassed the famous Pelé rookie card that fetched $1.33 million and became football’s first million-dollar trading card.

Interest in Ronaldo collectibles has exploded recently. Before this transaction, the highest amount ever paid for one of his cards was $420,000 for a 1-of-1 2015 Panini Flawless Finishes Black edition, sold at a Fanatics Premier auction just days earlier.

That card carried a PSA grade of 7 alongside a perfect autograph rating of 10. The latest sale has now completely shattered that record, tripling the previous benchmark thanks to the extreme rarity of the Green Kaboom parallel.

The 2018 Panini Kaboom collection itself already holds legendary status among collectors. The 50-player multisport set was never publicly released in standard fashion and instead became available exclusively through the Panini Rewards program. While Kaboom cards first appeared back in 2013, the introduction of the green 1-of-1 parallel in 2018 transformed the series into one of the hobby’s most coveted creations.

Ronaldo’s value away from football continues to soar alongside his achievements on the field. The veteran recently captured his first Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr after arriving in January 2023, while Portugal also included him in their World Cup squad for what will be his sixth appearance at the tournament.

Finally! Ronaldo wins a trophy in Saudi Arabia

Even at 39 years old, Ronaldo remains one of the sport’s most influential figures both competitively and commercially.

Although Messi’s cards have dominated the premium market for years, with several sales exceeding $350,000 since last August, Ronaldo is rapidly gaining ground. Remarkably, only two Ronaldo cards have ever sold for more than $350,000 — and both of those sales occurred within the past week, signalling a major shift in the market for CR7 memorabilia worldwide.