Top Soccer Cards

[Bored5000]

I am interested in reading this thread. Nearly my entire collection consists of non-sports cards or at least cards from outside the big four U.S. sports. I always love reading about some of the iconic cards from outside the big four U.S. sports. I am familiar with the various 1958-59 Pele cards and some of the sport's other major cards, but I would be interested in reading what four cards knowledgeable soccer collectors would put on a Mt. Rushmore of soccer cards.

[aljurgela]

Originally Posted by Bored5000

I am interested in reading this thread. Nearly my entire collection consists of non-sports cards or at least cards from outside the big four U.S. sports. I always love reading about some of the iconic cards from outside the big four U.S. sports. I am familiar with the various 1958-59 Pele cards and some of the sport's other major cards, but I would be interested in reading what four cards knowledgeable soccer collectors would put on a Mt. Rushmore of soccer cards.

This is tough and I am sure that most key countries could have their "own", and it gets even more complicated when you break down by country, position, etc.

So I guess, if you wanted to see who appears at the highest level of pretty much every poll (for what that is worth), I would likely have:

Pele (IFFHS:1, World Soccer:1, Top End: 1, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 2, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 1)

Maradona (IFFHS:5, World Soccer:2, Top End: 2, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 1, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 3)

Franz Beckenbauer (IFFHS:3, World Soccer:4, Top End: 4, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 8, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 4)

Johan Cruyff (IFFHS:2, World Soccer:3, Top End: 3, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 13, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 5)

Michel Platini (IFFHS:7, World Soccer:5, Top End: 5, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 15, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 6)

Alfredo Di Stefano (IFFHS:4, World Soccer:6, Top End: 6, 1-20 FIFA Internet: 14, FIFA Mag & Grand Jury: 2)

So, I guess we start with the players and then we look at the cards. This does not mean, however, that these would be the most valuable of all cards. But If I were only going to pick a Mt. Rushmore, I guess that you would have to start with the best players of all time. Of course, I think that we should discuss Messi and Ronaldo as they are truly in the conversation, but I will try and steer away from more "modern" issues.

[aljurgela]

So here is the a rookie card of the "best" European footballer of all time. There is a smaller, more typical "card" - the 1967-67 Parilex (from Portugal) and a German issue from 1968 (Sicker Verlag).

If you want to learn a bit more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Cruyff

[samosa4u]

First of all, nobody on planet earth knows who G.O. Smith was (except for Al Jurgela). To make my point, I did a search on eBay and I see a few G.O. Smith cards up from the same seller, who is probably Al Jurgela! LOL

Now when PSA did the Mount Rushmore thing, they did include modern cards as well. For example, they selected the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC for their hockey list. So I decided to do the same thing. Here is my choice below:

[aljurgela]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

First of all, nobody on planet earth knows who G.O. Smith was (except for Al Jurgela). To make my point, I did a search on eBay and I see a few G.O. Smith cards up from the same seller, who is probably Al Jurgela! LOL

Now when PSA did the Mount Rushmore thing, they did include modern cards as well. For example, they selected the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC for their hockey list. So I decided to do the same thing. Here is my choice below:

This is absolutely a legitimate Mt. Rushmore (especially if the Messi and Ronaldo are PSA 10s)!

My post here was not really about just the top 4 cards because there are literally hundreds of players over the past century in the world's most played game! And there are a number of people who do know who GO Smith was - especially in the UK. It is kindof like pretty much everyone knows who Mickey Mantle was, but what about Pop Lloyd or Oscar Charleston? The "average" fan probably does not know about those guys, but Bill James catalogs them as top 30 all time players (#4 for Charleston, I believe).

When you calculate scarcity, there are some pretty amazing choices to be had, but I would tend to believe that the Pele, Messi and Ronaldo rookies will be easy to sell... always! A bit common for my taste, but still amazing options.

[aljurgela]

Pre-the Messi / Ronaldo age, most had Maradona #1 or #2 overall in the world. The is the scarce 1977 Fulbito card.

[Bored5000]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

First of all, nobody on planet earth knows who G.O. Smith was (except for Al Jurgela). To make my point, I did a search on eBay and I see a few G.O. Smith cards up from the same seller, who is probably Al Jurgela! LOL

Now when PSA did the Mount Rushmore thing, they did include modern cards as well. For example, they selected the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC for their hockey list. So I decided to do the same thing. Here is my choice below:

Thanks for the posts, guys. I have been interested in the responses. I have only a basic knowledge of soccer cards, but I am familiar with the major cards. I am not at all surprised by your four choices.

The only thing I wondered about was keeping a Mt. Rushmore at just one card per player and going with either the Quigol or the Alifabolaget for Pele. That would open up a Mt. Rushmore spot for something like the '78 Crack Diego Maradona sticker.

IMO, a Mt. Rushmore should not be an obscure card of which only one or a couple examples exist; it should be four iconic cards that everyone who is a collector of that sport is familiar with.

[Exhibitman]

As a very casual fan I’d go with the names I know: Pele Maradona Di Stefano and I’d like to see some love for Lev Yashin too. The Black Spider deserves to rep the goalies. I was a goalie in soccer and hockey so I like goalies. In hockey I collect Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall.

In terms of cards I love the Heinerle Pele card, the 77 Maradona where he’s practically a kid, the Escenas Deportivas Di Stefano and the 67 Crack Yashin caricature card with him in a spiders web. Used to own three of them but downsizing has taken its toll.

[aljurgela]

He is a top player by most counts. Even the most "light" soccer fans would likely know of him. A miscut version of this card just sold for $2200 a few weeks ago on eBay (292300964718).

His IFFHS rating is #6 overall and World Soccer and Top End Soccer have him at #7 overall - and a pretty rare card.

For those who want to learn more about him:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Pusk%C3%A1s