A rookie card featuring Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi has been sold for a record-breaking $1.5 million in a private transaction, making it the most valuable soccer card ever sold. This new record surpasses the previous one held by a card of Brazilian legend Pele.

According to Goldin Auctions, the card, a 2004-05 Panini Mega Cracks PSA 10, was sold through Fanatics Collect’s private sales network. This sale tops a similar card that sold for $1.1 million earlier this week in a deal also facilitated by Goldin.

The previous record for a soccer card was set in 2022 when a 1958 Alifabolaget Pele PSA 9 sold privately for $1.33 million, according to Card Ladder.

This latest record is part of a series of high-value sales for this specific Messi rookie card. Just last month, a different PSA 10-graded version of the card sold for $1 million through Fanatics Collect, a global digital sports platform that trades cards and collectibles. Prior to that, another copy sold for $825,000 at Goldin. The record for the card before August was reportedly $336,000, set in June 021.

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The sale marks a major milestone for Fanatics Collect's new private sales network, which is designed for high-value transactions of $10,000 or more. According to a source from Fanatics who spoke with ESPN, the network generated roughly $8 million in sales from 30 to 40 transactions during its first full month in August.

Out of the 838 copies of the No. 71 Messi card that PSA has graded, only 20 have received the highest possible grade of Gem-Mint 10, making them extremely rare and valuable. The record-breaking $1.5 million card also includes a special “Mike Baker Authenticated Diamond” certification, which signifies its exceptional condition.