Major League Soccer has entered the trading card game in style with their debut of the 2024 Topps Chrome collection, sending shockwaves through the collecting community reminiscent of the frenzy ignited by Major League Baseball’s 2023 Topps Chrome Update. Released on December 4th, the 2024 MLS Topps Chrome set has already captured the attention of enthusiasts, thanks in part to the revelation of its most coveted card: Hugo Lloris’s Debut Patch Card.
The thrill of the chase was exemplified in Brooklyn, NY, on December 7th, when Andy Wert from E and J Boutique unearthed a redemption card for Hugo Lloris’s Debut Patch Card from a hobby box. Lloris, an eminent goalkeeper celebrated for leading France to a World Cup victory in 2018 and holding the record for the most appearances for the French national team with 145 caps, made his MLS debut this year with Los Angeles FC. The allure of acquiring a card commemorating this monumental moment has set hearts racing among fans and collectors alike.
Priced at a modest $120, the hobby box promises two chrome autographs per box. However, the spotlight now shines on the redemption card for Hugo Lloris’s Debut Patch, emerging as a highly sought-after gem within the collection.
This venture into Debut Patch Cards marks a breakthrough for MLS trading cards as the league showcases authentic jersey patches from players’ inaugural MLS appearances. The set features 35 Debut Patch Cards, with luminaries like Luis Suárez, the striker hailing from Uruguay and now donning the Inter Miami jersey; Emil Forsberg, the Swedish international who plies his trade with the New York Red Bulls; and Federico Redondo, a burgeoning talent from Argentina making waves at Inter Miami. Among these stars, Hugo Lloris’s Debut Patch Card gleams as one of the prime jewels in the collection, seamlessly blending his illustrious international career with his newfound journey in Major League Soccer.
While the secondary market has seen the price of MLB’s 2023 Topps Chrome Update hobby boxes surge to $400, the 2024 MLS Topps Chrome boxes remain a steal at $120 each. With high-profile Debut Patch Cards like those of Suárez and Forsberg still up for grabs, enthusiasts are eagerly engaging in the pursuit of these iconic memorabilia, eager to claim their own piece of history.
MLS has not only expanded its presence in the realm of collectibles but has also carved a niche as an up-and-coming force in the trading card sector with the introduction of Debut Patch Cards. By shining the spotlight on international superstars and commemorating their inaugural MLS appearances, the league has resonated with a burgeoning collector community fervently seeking distinctive memorabilia.
As collectors continue to rip open packs in exhilaration, the buzz surrounding the 2024 MLS Topps Chrome collection shows no signs of waning. With Hugo Lloris’s pull already making waves, enthusiasts are on tenterhooks, eagerly anticipating the reveal of the next iconic card awaiting its discovery.
