Lionel Messi added another piece of MLS history before Argentina’s 2026 World Cup run — this time without scoring a goal.
A 2024-25 Topps Now MLS Gold 1-of-1 card featuring Messi and Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry doing the “Night Night” celebration sold for $111,057 at auction, according to Goldin. Topps called it the most expensive MLS card ever sold.
That matters beyond the collectibles market. Messi has already changed Inter Miami’s profile, MLS ticket demand and the league’s international visibility. Now his image is driving record prices in a sports-card lane that blends soccer, NBA star power and World Cup anticipation.
The sale also landed at a useful time for MLS. The league is trying to turn 2026 World Cup attention into a lasting boost, not a one-month spike, and Commissioner Don Garber has pointed to Messi as part of the league’s broader growth story. Reuters reported on June 8 that MLS has seen a 35% attendance rise and increased Apple viewership as the league prepares for a World Cup in North America.
(via @GoldinCo)
Messi and Steph Curry Card Becomes a Crossover MLS Grail
The card’s appeal is not hard to understand. It connects Messi, arguably soccer’s biggest global figure, with Curry, one of basketball’s most recognizable stars, through a celebration that crossed sports lines.
Goldin listed the final sale price at $111,057 for the 2024-25 Topps Now MLS Gold No. 128 Stephen Curry/Lionel Messi 1-of-1 card in PSA Gem Mint 10 condition.
Topps’ post described the card as a Gold 1-of-1 “Night Night” trading card and said the sale made it the most expensive MLS card ever.
The record is notable because MLS cards have not historically lived in the same collectibles economy as NBA, NFL or top European soccer cards. Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami changed that ceiling. A rare Messi item tied to Curry does not need to appeal only to MLS collectors; it can reach soccer fans, Warriors fans, Olympic basketball fans and modern card investors at once.
That is the real MLS history here. The card is a market signal that Messi’s MLS chapter has produced memorabilia with global pull.
Messi Playing In the World Cup 2026
The next question for many fans is simple: Is Messi playing in the World Cup 2026?
That question is being asked because Messi is 38, Argentina is entering the tournament as the defending World Cup champion, and he has recently dealt with left hamstring soreness. Reuters reported on June 6 that Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said Messi had partially trained with the team and was progressing well enough that he could play in one of Argentina’s final two World Cup warm-up friendlies.
Messi is in Argentina’s World Cup picture, and the latest public update was encouraging rather than alarming. Still, his fitness is a major storyline because Argentina’s title defense looks different if Messi is limited, even with the depth and confidence the squad has built around him.
Reuters also noted that the 5-foot-7 Messi entered the World Cup buildup after producing 12 goals and 8 assists in 14 games for Inter Miami, while holding 116 goals in 198 international appearances. Messi already owns the record for most World Cup matches played with 26, and he and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to become the first men to appear in a sixth World Cup.
That is why even a collectibles story circles back to the field. Messi’s MLS value is tied not just to nostalgia, but to the possibility that fans are still watching meaningful Messi moments in real time.
Why Messi’s MLS Record Matters Before Argentina’s Run
The $111,057 sale does not tell fans whether Argentina will repeat as World Cup champion. It does show how much Messi’s American chapter continues to reshape the market around him.
For MLS, that is important. The league has spent years chasing casual sports fans who recognize global soccer stars but may not follow the week-to-week league schedule. Messi gave MLS a shortcut into that conversation. A Curry-Messi card selling for more than $100,000 is another example of that crossover effect.
It also arrives as North America prepares to host the World Cup, giving MLS a chance to convert international attention into longer-term fan interest. The league’s challenge is making sure Messi’s presence becomes a bridge to the rest of the product rather than a one-player spike.
That is what makes this card more than a novelty. It is a small but expensive snapshot of Messi’s current place in American sports culture: MLS star, Argentina icon, World Cup headliner and collectibles force all at once.
For fans, the auction record is another reminder of how unusual this stage of Messi’s career has become. He is no longer just chasing trophies. He is still shaping the business, visibility and history of a league that was waiting for a figure big enough to change its ceiling.
Messi Makes MLS History Before Argentina’s World Cup Run