Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona or Pele? Which player holds record for most expensive Panini sticker ever sold?

Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most expensive Panini sticker ever sold. Argentina icon Diego Maradona, whose Panini sticker sold for £470,000 in 2021, has that honour.

Henry Barrios from Virginia, United States, recently made headlines after selling a one-of-a-kind Lionel Messi sticker for a staggering £115,000 at an auction. Manufactured by Italian company Panini, the sticker, which shows Messi in his country’s traditional jersey, seems ordinary at first glance. However, it was the only sticker printed with a black border.

Barrios, a collector, bought 300 packs of Panini stickers in September 2022, with each pack containing five stickers. After the Paris Saint-Germain man fired Argentina to glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he sold off his unique sticker at the Goldin Auctions in New Jersey.

While Barrios’ haul is undoubtedly impressive, it's not Panini’s most valuable sticker. The record is held by a 1980 Diego Maradona sticker, which was sold at an auction for an eye-popping £470,000 in 2021.

Before Maradona came in with a wrecking ball, the record was held by three-time world champion Pele. In 2020, a 1958 Pele sticker was sold for a mind-boggling sum of £237,000 at an auction.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, surprisingly, is not in the six-digit club. The most valuable Panini sticker of the Al-Nassr superstar sold for close to £60,000 in 2022. It was a shot of him training in Sporting Lisbon’s attire in 2002.

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Stan Collymore urges Wilfried Zaha not to follow Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s path

Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha's contract expires in June. The forward, though, is yet to sign an extension with the Eagles amid reports that Saudi Arabian clubs are interested in signing him.

Former Liverpool man Stan Collymore has advised Zaha to refrain from joining Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia and to keep playing in the Premier League. Explaining why Zaha should not look to emulate Messi and Ronaldo’s path, Collymore told French outlet Onze Mondial:

“Wilfried Zaha would be crazy to go to Saudi Arabia. We know that the money is important for the players, but he will also win a lot of money in London. There are plenty of clubs that can still be helped by his talent in England, like Newcastle or Aston Villa. He should ignore the easy option and leave that to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have already achieved the greatest feats possible.”

While the Portuguese plays for Al-Nassr, Messi has been linked to multiple Saudi Arabian clubs. According to reports, Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are interested in signing the PSG ace.

The Barcelona legend’s PSG contract expires in June, with renewal talks underway.