As World Cup Approaches, Soccer’s Biggest Star Shoots His Shot at Heritage’s Spring Sports Catalog Auction

Lionel Messi rarity, Kobe Bryant number-matching cards, Clyde Drexler’s photo-matched Dream Team jersey among highlights at May 15-17 event DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (April 21, 2026) — It is only fitting that as the World Cup, the premier international tournament for the world’s most popular sport, heads to North America, soccer’s biggest global star will take his shot at top-lot honors in Heritage’s May 15-17 Spring Sports Catalog Auction. Lionel Messi is soccer’s biggest star and one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, the face of Major League Soccer since joining Inter Miami CF in 2023 and the celebrated captain of Argentina’s national team. A superstar in MLS, in international competition and at the auction block, he will take aim at the event’s top result in this highlight-filled auction when a 2015 Panini Flawless Sole Of The Game (Signatures-Gold) Lionel Messi #SSLM PSA NM 7, PSA/DNA Auto 10 - #’d 10/10 - MBA Gold crosses the block. “Lionel Messi has changed the way people view the sport of soccer,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “There have been great international stars who have played professionally in the United States before, but none while still considered to be one of the best players in the world. Given the global reach of the sport and his unparalleled popularity, an argument can be made that he is the most popular athlete competing today in any sport.” The appeal of this card is elevated by its rarity: The example offered in this auction is one of just 10 copies extant — matching Messi’s defining jersey number. It originates from his magical 2015 season, one in which he scored more than 50 goals across all competitions while leading FC Barcelona’s attack, rising to meet the challenge when his teams needed him most in their biggest games. The card is from the inaugural year of Panini’s premium Flawless line, a release that quickly established itself as one of the most prestigious in the hobby. Highlighting a match-used boot relic paired with Messi’s on-card autograph, this piece represents the first time such a combination was produced for the global icon, and it is among the rarest early memorabilia-autograph cards ever issued for one of the Beautiful Game’s most celebrated stars. The Messi card is a rare treasure but hardly the only lot that will draw the attention of soccer fans, who also will want to check out a pristine 2023 Donruss FIFA Lamine Yamal (Optic-Gold Power) #177 PSA Gem Mint 10 - #'d 1/1, a unique example that celebrates the breakout 2023 season of Yamal, who made history as one of the youngest players ever to appear for FC Barcelona’s first team, a milestone he achieved in the same year as his debut with the Spanish national team. This card stands among a select group of fewer than 10 premier 1/1 Yamal cards, placing it squarely in the upper tier of his rookie-era collectibles. The auction also celebrates the life and career of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who is featured on 31 lots, including a 1997 SkyBox E-X2001 Kobe Bryant (Essential Credentials Now) #8 PSA EX-MT 6 - #’d 1/8 - MBA Gold from the 1997 SkyBox E-X2001 Essential Credentials set that is widely regarded as one of the premier parallel issues of the 1990s, the decade that gave birth to this challenging subsect of the modern hobby. The Essential Credentials parallels are defined by their extremely limited print runs, with the “Now” versions serial-numbered to match the player’s jersey number. This card is numbered 1 of 8 — Bryant’s first jersey number (he famously switched to 24 more than a decade later). This intentional scarcity, combined with the era’s growing interest in premium inserts, has made the set highly sought after. Cards from this season capture Bryant on the cusp of superstardom, as he transitioned from a promising prospect into a foundational piece of what became a championship-winning roster. The 1997 SkyBox E-X2001 is from a print run that matches Bryant’s first number, while two other cards are numbered 8 from a run of 50, including a 1997 Metal Universe Championship Kobe Bryant (Precious Metal Gems) #86 PSA NM-MT 8 — #’d 8/50 that is one of the finest-graded examples (also carrying a Bryant-appropriate grade of 8), with only two graded higher. This elite offering is one of the most celebrated and condition-sensitive cards of the modern collecting era. Precious Metal Gems, introduced by Fleer as a premium parallel within the groundbreaking Metal Universe brand, are widely regarded as one of the most important insert concepts ever created, combining extremely low serial numbering with bold, experimental foil designs that revolutionized 1990s card aesthetics. Also carrying a number 8 of 50 is a 1998 Metal Universe Kobe Bryant (Precious Metal Gems) #53 PSA EX-MT 6 - #’d 8/50that stands as one of the most significant and condition-sensitive cards of Bryant’s early career. Hardwood heroes run throughout the auction, and not just on the incredible selection of cards. A 1992 Clyde Drexler Gold Medal Game-Worn and Signed USA “Dream Team” Jersey is a rare relic from the team widely considered the most talented squad ever assembled in any sport. Coming off a season in which he led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals, Drexler suited up in this jersey to represent his country on the sport’s highest international stage. This is the only game-worn Dream Team jersey ever offered at Heritage, photo-matched to the Gold Medal game against Croatia, establishing it as just the second from that game to reach the auction block. Other hoops highlights in the auction include, but are not limited to:   • A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 PSA Gem Mint 10   • A 1997 SkyBox Metal Universe Steve Nash (Precious Metal Gems-Green) #101 PSA EX-MT 6 - #’d 004/100 - MBA Gold   • A Signed 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie #69 PSA Authentic, PSA/DNA Auto 10   • A photo-matched Early 1960s Bob Pettit Game Worn St. Louis Hawks Jersey As the season gets into full swing, baseball fans will be drawn to items from the game’s biggest stars, past and present. One legend whose material always generates huge interest is Babe Ruth, who is represented in 107 lots in the auction. Among the items celebrating the Yankee legend is a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 PSA NM-MT 8 — MBA Gold from the 240-card series of baseball gum cards that was the first major promotion of the 1930s and the beginning of the “bubble gum era” of cards that would last for a half century. The set now is recognized as the most significant of the era, one that set the standard for quality that many feel was unchallenged until the 1952 Topps edition. Another must-have treasure from the Sultan of Swat is a Circa 1932 Babe Ruth Game-Worn New York Yankees Pants, SGC Superior/Excellent that plays into the unending demand for game-used items from the player many consider the greatest player in the history of the game. These pants come from the same season in which Ruth crushed his famed “Called Shot” home run in the 1932 World Series; the jersey he wore in that game sold at Heritage Auctions in 2024 for $24,120,000 — the most ever paid for any piece of sports memorabilia. The left leg on these pants is missing several inches of fabric, the result of the trend of repurposing uniform swatches for trading cards and other memorabilia. In this case, the consignor’s father created wristwatches and letterman’s jackets featuring such swatches — an example of each is included in this remarkable lot. The player some have called “the next Babe Ruth” — Shohei Ohtani — also is hugely popular among collectors, and featured on 17 lots in the auction. Among his items in the auction is a nod to where his career in Major League Baseball began: as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. The 2023 Shohei Ohtani Game Used Bat with Unique Notation, PSA/DNA GU 9 & MLB Authentic offered in this auction has been photo-matched to seven games in April 2023, in which he clubbed a pair of home runs — No. 132 and 133 in his extraordinary career — on his way to the first of his three consecutive Most Valuable Player Awards. Other Ohtani items in the auction include, but are not limited to:   • The 44th Home Run Baseball from his Historic 50/50 Season in 2024   • The 2021 Father’s Day Game-Worn Cleats, MLB Authentic — photo-matched to career home run No. 70   • 2018 Through 2025 Multi-Brand Shohei Ohtani Collection (100) Ohtani’s rare hitting and pitching have helped him with three MVP awards, including the last two in the National League as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not to be outdone, two-time defending American League MVP Aaron Judge also makes a larger-than-life impact through 24 lots in this auction. Among the top Judge offerings is a unique 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Aaron Judge (Superfractor) #BDPP19 PSA Mint 9 - #'d 1/1 - MBA Gold that is considered one of the most significant modern prospect cards in existence, capturing Judge at the beginning of his professional career. This Superfractor one-of-one rarity recently was unearthed not far from Heritage’s global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, when a dealer visited its owner’s home to consider purchasing some vintage cards. After asking the owner if he had any other cards in his collection, he was presented a box of modern cards that the owner had removed from packs years ago and then essentially forgotten. The box contained this card with a “$5K-$10K” sticker on the back of its holder. The dealer asked, “So if I offered you $25,000 for this card, you would take it?” Before allowing the owner to answer, he added, “Don’t — this card is worth a lot more. You should reach out to an auction house.” Other top Judge items include, but are not limited to:   • A 2013 Bowman Chrome Mini Superfractor Aaron Judge #311 PSA NM 7 - #’d 1/1 - MBA Gold that is a smaller but also unique version of the first Judge Superfractor   • A 2017 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Aaron Judge (Red Refractor) #RA-AJ PSA Gem Mint 10, Auto 10 - #’d 4/5   • A 2021 Topps Dynasty Autographed Special Event Baseball Leather Aaron Judge (Gold) #AJ PSA Gem Mint 10, Auto 10 - #’d 1/1   • A 2013 Panini Prizm Perennial Draft Picks Prospect Signatures Aaron Judge #33 PSA Graded Set (6) Just a few months after the Winter Olympics, the auction will include items from the coach who stood behind the bench for one of the most inspirational teams in hockey history, the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team that shocked the heavily favored Soviet Union in the semifinal forever remembered as the “Miracle on Ice,” followed by a victory over Finland in the final that gave the Americans the gold medal. Offered in this auction is the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic Hockey Ring Presented to Coach Herb Brooks. Also offered are:   • Brooks’ 1980s-2000s Worn Hockey Skates   • His 2002 Herb Brooks Gloves Worn as Coach of Salt Lake City Olympics USA Hockey Team   • A 1980 USA Olympics Hockey Team Signed Large Photograph with Herb Brooks Professional wrestling has enjoyed an enormous surge of popularity, and collectors will find 51 lots worthy of their attention in this auction. Among the most intriguing is a boot worn by Hulk Hogan in 2003 in WrestleMania XIX, a match in which he faced Vince McMahon that ended up being the final performance of Hogan’s career. One of wrestling’s most famous stars, the 49-year-old Hogan entered the match as a veteran to face McMahon in a matchup built on their long-running rivalry. Collectors who pursue complete sets of cards will find plenty to consider in this auction, including:   • A 1986 Fleer Basketball Unopened Wax Pack PSA Gem Mint 10 — one of just four to achieve a perfect PSA Gem Mint 10 grade, featuring legends like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan, Charles Barkley, Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon and Isiah Thomas   • A set, sold as separate lots, of 1914 Cracker Jack cards — a group that includes baseball legends like Christy Mathewson, Joe Jackson, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson and Eddie Collins   • A selection of 22 1972 Icee Bear basketball cards, offered separately — a trove that includes hardwood legends like Pete Maravich, Wes Unseld, Oscar Robertson, John Havlicek, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Walt Frazier Images and information about all lots in the auction can be found at HA.com/50085. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 2 million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 7,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Steve Lansdale, Public Relations Specialist 214-409-1699 or SteveL@HA.com