Rare Cristiano Ronaldo card fetches $1.35M at private sale - ESPN

Cristiano Ronaldo's green, 1-of-1 numbered 2018 Panini Kaboom card — showing him during his time at Juventus — sold privately yesterday for $1.35 million via a Fanatics Collect private sale, Fanatics confirmed to ESPN.

It's the most ever paid for a Ronaldo card and the second-most ever spent on a soccer card behind the $1.5 million Lionel Messi rookie card and just ahead of the $1.33 million Pele rookie card — soccer's first $1 million card.

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The previous high spent on a Ronaldo card was $420,000 in a Fanatics Premier auction on May 22 for Ronaldo's 1-of-1 numbered 2015 Panini Flawless Finishes Black card, graded a 7 from card grader Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) with a 10 autograph grade.

The multisport 50-player 2018 Panini Kaboom set weren't publicly released cards, but instead a multisport pack Panini Rewards program release. Kabooms were first produced in 2013, but in 2018, Panini added the now-uber-coveted green 1-of-1 parallel.

While the identity of the buyer remains anonymous, a high-end collector — whose Instagram handle is «cherubcards» — acquired the Ronaldo card in March 2024 and confirmed to The Athletic they were the deal's seller.

Ronaldo just won his first Saudi Pro League title for Al Nassr since debuting in January of 2023. Last week, Ronaldo was also named to Portugal's World Cup squad, which will mark his sixth World Cup.

He played for Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus during his illustrious career.

Since August, there have been at least seven sales of Lionel Messi cards for $350,000-plus. Including this sale, there have only ever been two Ronaldo cards sold for more than $350,000, both in the last week.