2023-24 Panini Donruss Soccer

Donruss Soccer returned in 2023-24 as Panini's last hurrah before losing the MLSPA license to Upper Deck. The base set features 200 cards covering MLS players, with a heavy lean toward established stars like Lionel Messi, Carlos Vela, and Giorgio Chiellini. The design is clean but understated compared to the NFL flagship. What matters here is that this is the final Panini MLS release, which alone gives it historical weight for collectors. The product launched during Messi's second season in MLS, making early pulls of his base card and parallels more relevant than they might otherwise be. Retail was abundant, but hobby packs dried up faster and command a premium now. The chase hits revolve around the usual Donruss parallel tiers. You're looking for Rated Rookies of emerging talent like Hirving Lozano and Folarin Balogun variants, along with the color parallels that range from common reds and blues to rare silvers and blacks. Autographs appear at roughly one per hobby box, though the checklist is small and many are sticker auto rather than on-card. Donruss Signatures is the main insert to hunt. Jersey cards exist but aren't chase-worthy. Hobby boxes offer better odds at parallels and autos compared to retail, which leans heavy on base and common parallels. The product is relatively affordable to crack open since Panini overprinted retail significantly. This is a set for MLS diehards and Panini completists more than serious investors. Soccer cards haven't gained momentum in the US market, so secondary market prices stay modest. If you collect MLS or want to own the final Panini soccer release, hobby boxes still hit well enough to justify ripping. Otherwise, buy singles of your favorite players. The Messi cards hold the most crossover appeal, but they're not scarce enough to hold major gains.