Trading card collecting has experienced a major rise in popularity across the UK over recent years, drawing participation from several Premier League players.

Well-known athletes taking part in the hobby include Adam Wharton, Dominic Solanke, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kyle Walker-Peters, and Reece James.

Collectable firm Topps signed superstar Neymar to a multi-year agreement last month, allowing global buyers to hunt for memorabilia and trading cards.

Several footballers launched dedicated Instagram pages to display their finds. Tosin established TheHuddleFC, sharing images of ultra-rare Topps cards, Pokemon items, and signed Marvel merchandise. Solanke holds a 1/1 Europa League card alongside various One Piece anime pieces. Wharton concentrates mainly on football cards and tracked down his own cards multiple times, while Chelsea captain James owns a collection featuring his sister Lauren.

Supporters also purchase the new Topps Premier League flagship collection as an affordable route to rare cards and player autographs.

Collector Harri Kanot noted that the hobby bridges the gap between fans and professional athletes. He shared: “It's a very interesting phenomenon because there was always a massive gap between players and fans. They are stars, and we just kind of like collect a bit of the memorabilia.” He added: “You can actually see them popping up in different Card Cons. The gap between a professional player and a normal guy has shrunk. It just just makes this whole thing more all-round and more surreal rather than just like a little hobby.”

Content creator Jack Whyte spent thousands of pounds on cards, pulling items like a Luis Suarez patch from the 2025-26 Premier League collection. Fellow collector Beau The Beard enjoys opening packs alongside his son. Meanwhile, YouTube group the Sidemen launched SideCards to make live card breaks fairer.

Benjamin Hobart, managing director of SideCards, stated: “Over the past few years, we've seen more and more footballers publicly show their interest in collecting.” He added: “They get exactly the same buzz we all do from opening a product and hunting for the big chase cards, especially when they're actually in the set themselves.”

Experts estimate the global sports memorabilia market will reach £202 billion by 2034, with collectors previously selling items like a Lamine Yamal card for £80,000.