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Mo Salah: Undervalued Icon and Enigma of the Hobby

Mo Salah: Undervalued Icon and Enigma of the Hobby

Your football card insider—tracking trends, products, and market moves to elevate your collecting game

Neil Doherty
April 27, 2025

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Behind the Cards

Fanatics Launch Fires Up London Hobby

Fanatics Collectibles flagship store on Regent Street, London (Credit: Fanatics)

The grand opening of the Fanatics Collectibles flagship store on Regent Street, London, drew over 2,000 fans on Friday, April 25, 2025, as Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton cut the ribbon alongside Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, with football guests such as Rio Ferdinand, Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie and Tosin Adarabioyo also in attendance.

Hamilton’s presence drew huge crowds—some of whom queued from 3:45 a.m.—and after the ribbon cut he opened a box of Topps Lights Out 2025: Formula 1 75th Anniversary Edition and mingled with collectors. The flagship store, which spans nearly 9,000 square feet, stocks not only Topps but also competitor brands like Panini and Pokémon, aiming to be a “beacon for the hobby” in Europe. Michael Rubin, Fanatics CEO, said: “It’s super exciting. There are more than 1,000 hobby stores in America, there are very few over here. You come to Europe and if you’re lucky there are 100 hobby stores in all of Europe.”

The event’s high-profile guest list and massive turnout signals London’s emergence as Europe’s epicenter for trading cards, with the store aiming to inspire new collectors across the continent.

Product Watch

Industry

Total amount of money spent on cards and sealed wax each month (22.04.23 - 21.04.25): Graph Courtesy of Card Ladder

2024/25 Real Madrid Team Set!

Real Madrid 2024/25 Team Set (Credit: Topps)

The 2024/25 Topps Real Madrid Team Set was released on April 24, 2025, marking Topps’ first-ever dedicated Real Madrid Team Set.

Following on from last week’s release of the popular Manchester United Team Set, this week Topps released the 2024/25 Real Madrid Team Set, celebrating the club’s past, present, and future. The two base rookie inclusions are Endrick and Daniel Yáñez, and themed base subsets include Flamenco Flare, Bookends, and Bona Fide Baller. Inserts are listed as Pathway, Rainbow Flick, and Real Madrid Masters, which pays tribute to current stars and club legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo and Gareth Bale. Big chasers include the Club De Futbol autograph relics, with big-name signers from past and present, such as Karim Benzema, Marcelo, Fabio Cannavaro, Jude Bellingham, and Luka Modrić.

Each hobby box contains 6 packs of 5 cards, including 1 autograph, relic, or autograph relic, plus 1 sequentially numbered parallel and 1 Bona Fide Baller insert per box.

The hobby box was originally priced at £60 on the Topps UK website, but has since sold out, and is now only available on the secondary market.

Card Watch

Mo Salah: Enigma of the Hobby and Undervalued Icon?

Pivoting from last week’s Card Watch spotlight on Vinícius Júnior, I’m turning to the Premier League’s player of the year in waiting, Mohamed Salah, on the day that Liverpool clinched their historic 20th league title.

Few sports cards mysteries are as intriguing as Salah’s near-total absence from the autograph checklists of major releases, yet the lack of autographs hasn’t dampened the appeal of Salah’s cards, particularly those tied to landmark moments in modern football. The 2017/18 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League set, however, is uniquely valued among football collectors as the inaugural Chrome product, and although Liverpool went on to win the Champions League the following season, the liquidity of the 2017/18 set may offer the best raw-to-grade opportunities. Ironically, the following year’s 2018/19 Topps Chrome Champions League release—featuring cards from Liverpool’s victorious campaign—remains somewhat overlooked and may offer Salah collectors undervalued low numbered parallels. A similar story plays out with Salah’s 2019/20 Panini Prizm Premier League cards, which despite marking Liverpool’s long-awaited Premier League triumph, are still available at prices that seem modest given the magnitude of the achievement.

On the international stage, Salah’s Egypt 2018 Panini Prizm World Cup cards have become some of his most sought-after, with only three World Cup appearances in Egypt’s history (1934, 1990, 2018), these cards represent a unique connection to a football-mad nation’s rare appearance on the global stage.

The ceiling for Salah’s card market appears to be rising, as evidenced by the highest recorded sale: the 1/1 Choice Nebula from 2023/24 Panini Prizm fetched over £6,000—a new benchmark for the Egyptian King and a clear signal of his growing stature among collectors.

Below, I’ve used Card Ladder data to showcase a range of options that highlight the potential value available to collectors across all budgets.

PS: If you decide to sign up for Card Ladder using my affiliate link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps me continue to provide valuable content through ND Soccer Capital. Thank you!

Budget friendly? The 2017/18 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Purple Refractor /250 #24 raw has a current Card Ladder Value £48.67.

Investment opportunity? For collectors seeking raw-to-grade opportunities, the current Card Ladder value of the same card graded at PSA 10 is £232 (last sold April 6, 2025 for £223).

Investment opportunity? The 2018/19 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League Gold Refractor /50 #87 (PSA 9) last sold for £68. There are only two recorded sales of this card on Card Ladder and no recorded sales at PSA 10.

Possible store of value? The colour-matched 2019/20 Panini Prizm Red Mosaic /199 #99 has only two recorded sales at PSA 10 grade and last sold for £174 on Dec 24, 2023. The current Card Ladder value of £178 may be modest.

For Your Interest! The Panini Prizm World Cup 2018 Gold Power /5 #54 (BGS 9.5) sold for £3,585 on Jul 12, 2022, the highest sale for a base parallel from this set. There is no recorded sale of the Black 1/1.

For your interest! The Panini Prizm World Cup 2018 National Landmarks Gold Power /5 #NL7 (BGS 9.5) sold for £4,286 on Jul 1, 2024, and for £3,830 (PSA 10) on Nov 18, 2024. There is no recorded sale of the Scope 1/1.

For your interest! The 2023/24 Panini Prizm Premier League Choice Nebula 1/1 #73 raw sold for £6,293 on Mar 17, 2024 — the highest ever sale of a Salah card.

All data courtesy of Card Ladder—Why not discover how Card Ladder can enhance your card collecting experience?

You’ve Pulled!

A celebration of recent big card pulls!

2024/25 Manchester United Team Set Bonafide Baller Auto 1/1 Eric Cantona #BA-EC (Courtesy of @theyorkshirechris)

2024/25 Panini Donruss Soccer Kaboom! Kylian Mbappé #1 (Courtesy of @carters_cards)

Congratulations to @theyorkshirechris & @carters_cards for hitting these awesome cards!

If anyone pulls anything big please feel free to hit me up on Instagram! @ndsoccercapital

As I conclude this issue of ND Soccer Capital, I hope you found the insights into Mo Salah’s market value informative and engaging. Stay tuned for future updates on emerging trends and the most valuable cards to watch in the dynamic world of football collecting.

Explore More: Dive deeper into the world of football cards in my upcoming issues — Who Am I?
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Disclaimer: ND Soccer Capital provides information and opinions about sports card investing for educational purposes only. We are not financial advisors, and our content should not be considered investment advice. Investing in sports cards carries substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for everyone. The value of cards can fluctuate significantly based on various factors, including player performance, market trends, and condition. Any investment decisions you make are solely your responsibility. ND Soccer Capital, its owners, employees, and affiliates shall not be held liable for any losses, damages, or legal issues arising from your investment choices. Always conduct your own research and consider seeking advice from a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.