As soccer/futbol fans around the globe can well attest, it takes only minutes of watching Argentine superstar Lionel Messi to recognize that his skills are in a class of their own and many consider him the greatest in the sport today, if not all time. This 2004 Panini #71 BIS Messi is a short print AND carries a perfect PSA GEM MINT 10 grade; as of December 17th, 447 have been graded by PSA with only 20 achieving GEM MINT status. Spanning from 2009-13, Messi became the first player to capture four consecutive Balloon d'Or awards as the best player in the world; after returning from a brief retirement from international play, Leo earned his 7th such award in 2021 at age 34. Combining for over 750 career goals in both club and international play, the accolades are virtually endless, highlighted by earning the Gold Ball in leading Argentina to the 2014 World Cup Final. A POP 20 for a 2004 unnumbered card is incredibly low, and with the rising popularity of soccer/futbol cards both in the United States and worldwide, this is a prime example of an iconic rookie card as exceptional as Messi himself.

Estimate: $250,000-$300,000*