Top 10 most expensive football NFTs ever sold

The world of digital art and collectables have risen exponentially in the last couple of years

The world of digital art and collectables have risen exponentially after the arrival of NFTs. NFTs or non-fungible tokens are created using the same programme used for cryptocurrencies, providing a digital alternative for physical collectables. The impact and influence of NFTs have grown tremendously in the past few years.

This influence was seen in the football world as many football NFTs were produced and sold at exceptional prices. Here is a look at the top 10 most expensive NFTs in the footballing world.

10. Paul Pogba ($92,941)

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is one of the most popular footballers of the world. His style on and off-the-pitch has helped him gain many fans across the world. The Frenchman is also a World Cup winner, winning the trophy with France in 2018 where he scored a goal in the final. The former Manchester United man’s Sorare Unique was sold for $92,491 in 2021.

9. Antoine Griezmann ($110,668)

Griezmann too was a World cup winner alongside Paul Pogba. The Frenchman was the silver boot winner in the 2018 World Cup. The forward was Atletico Madrid’s main man for many years before joining FC Barcelona. The 31-year old is currently back in Atletico Madrid on loan from Barcelona. Griezmann’s  '1 of 1 Unique Sorare' was sold for $110,668 in 2021.

8. Vinicius Junior ($114,634)

Vinicius Junior is quickly making his mark in the footballing world. The youngster is one of Real Madrid’s main men in the current team, which says a lot in itself. The Brazilian winger scored the winning goal in the final of the 2022 Champions League, helping Real Madrid lift the trophy for a record 14th time. Being one of the most promising youngsters of contemporary times, it is no wonder that his NFT went for such big money. His '1/1 Unique Sorare' was sold for $114,634.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo ($120,685)

Spoiler alert - this isn’t the only time Cristiano Ronaldo will feature on this list. One of his NFTs from the 'Wrapped Sticker iconics' was sold for $120,685. The Portuguese is arguably the most popular footballer in the world and is also one of the most popular sportspersons in history. There are many NFTs based on the Manchester United forward which have a huge demand all over the world.

6. Lionel Messi ($128,512)

The only footballer on Ronaldo’s level is Lionel Messi and the two rivals compete in everything - from quality on the pitch to popularity off it.  13 Lionel Messi Iconics NFTs were made, out of which, one was sold for $128,512. This is one of the most expensive Lionel Messi-based NFTs in the world. However, it is not the most expensive.

5. Mohamed Salah ($141,560)

Mohamed Salah has been instrumental in Liverpool’s recent success. The Egyptian has won three Premier League Golden Boot and also holds the record for the most Premier goals scored in a single season. The winger has also helped his country qualify for back-to-back World Cups. Furthermore, the Liverpool forward’s 'Wrapped Strikers on Opensea NFT' was sold for $141,560 after his memorable hat-trick against Manchester United in 2021.

4. Kevin De Bruyne ($167,469)

Kevin De Bruyne is considered as one of the best footballers currently. The Manchester City midfielder has won four Premier League titles. At the same time, he has won five League Cups along with two Premier League Player of the season awards. The Belgian’s '1/1 Unique Sorare Card' was sold for $167,469 back in 2021.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo ($265,275)

The Cristiano Ronaldo 'Unique 1 of 1' Sorare card is the most expensive Cristiano Ronaldo NFT in the world. It shows the Portuguese forward in a Juventus kit. Ronaldo is the most popular footballer in the word when it comes to social media followers and his popularity played a big role in building up the cost of the NFT. The 'Unique 1 of 1' Sorare card was sold for $265,275

2. Erling Haaland ($687,000)

Erling Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world. The 22-year-old is expected to become one of the best footballers of the world. Haaland’s emerging fame saw him dislodge Cristiano Ronaldo’s Unique card from being the most expensive NFT on Sorare. Earlier this year, his unique Sorare was sold for $687,000. Lastly, the 22-year-old’s popularity in football has increased more after he joined Premier League champions Manchester City.

1. Lionel Messi ($1,128,815)

Finally, (like so many other facts) the tag of the most expensive football NFT belongs to Lionel Messi. The Argentine is arguably the best player to have ever played the sport. Overall, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is one of the most decorated footballers in the world and Messi’s 1/1 NFT called ‘The Golden One’ was sold for a price estimated to be around $1.2 million, making it the only football NFT to cross the one-million dollar mark.