Lionel Messi has another record to his name, this time in the trading card world.

The Lionel Messi-2026 Argentina Topps Now-Final Farewell Pack recorded a final print run of 664,325, making it the best-selling release in Topps NOW history and unlocking the program's first-ever 1/1 White OpalFractor Chrome card.

The release surpassed Shohei Ohtani's 50/50 milestone card, which previously held the record with 653,737, as well as the Olympic basketball card featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, which reached 588,030.

For Clay Luraschi, Topps' Senior Vice President of Product, the response reflects several forces coming together at the right time.

"It's the perfect combination of the career achievements of Lionel Messi, his passionate worldwide collectors, the rise of international football, and the growing popularity of Topps NOW," Luraschi told Collectibles on SI. "It's a great opportunity to honor one of the greatest to ever play the game with another record."

A New Milestone for Topps NOW

The Final Farewell Pack includes two cards: a Farewell base card, parallel or autograph, along with a variation or short print. Collectors also had the opportunity to chase four different 1/1 Messi autographs.

But the record-breaking print run unlocked something that had never been produced before. Topps NOW's Chrome parallel program rewards collectors when releases reach specific print-run milestones. At 50,000, Chrome parallels numbered to 99 and 50 become available. At 100,000, additional parallels and a 1/1 Superfractor are unlocked, while 250,000 introduces Opal Chrome parallels.

The highest threshold, 500,000, unlocks a single 1/1 White OpalFractor Chrome card.

Luraschi said Topps deliberately establishes ambitious goals, even when there's no guarantee a particular release will reach them.

"We always like to set challenging goals and celebrate them with collectors," he said. "You never know whether a player or moment will reach that level, but with everything Messi has accomplished and his passionate global following, I thought he had a real chance."

The Final Farewell Pack smashed the White OpalFractor threshold by more than 164,000.

Bringing New Collectors Into the Hobby

The record comes as Topps NOW celebrates its 10th anniversary, a period that has seen substantial growth in both the program and the international trading card market.

According to Luraschi, the Messi release attracted a significant number of first-time Topps NOW buyers.

"We're celebrating the 10th anniversary of Topps NOW, and we're seeing incredible growth in the hobby, especially with international football," he said. "This release brought in a record number of first-time buyers, which is a great opportunity to introduce them to collecting exciting moments in sports and culture."

Topps NOW's growing appeal extends well beyond traditional sports cards. Earlier this year, LeBron James partnered with Topps to announce his move to the Philadelphia 76ers, while a card commemorating the election of Pope Leo XIV sold 133,535 copies, setting a record for non-sports Topps NOW releases.

Luraschi believes Topps NOW offers something traditional trading card releases couldn't always deliver: immediacy.

"Topps NOW has a unique advantage in being able to put a memorable moment into the hands of fans and collectors shortly after it happens," he said.

What's Next After a Record-Breaking Release?

Messi now holds two of the five highest print runs in Topps NOW history, with his previous Argentina retirement announcement card reaching 335,283. Jack Hughes' Olympic goal card rounds out the top five at 332,447.

With the White OpalFractor milestone finally reached, Topps faces a new challenge: deciding what comes next.

"We're excited to have reached this milestone with collectors," Luraschi said. "Now the challenge is finding new ways to raise the bar and create even more exciting chase cards for future Topps NOW releases."

For now, all eyes are on November, when the Messi Final Farewell Packs begin shipping and one lucky collector could uncover the first-ever 1/1 White OpalFractor.