Top rookie Saïd El Mala becomes the face of the new Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025/26 collection

Football fans and collectors have been waiting for this moment: just in time for the season finale, the new Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025/26 collection is now available at hobby stores and online at topps.com.

The face of the new edition is top rookie Saïd El Mala, who perfectly embodies the cool aesthetic of Chrome cards as one of the league’s most exciting young talents. With this latest release, Topps turns the spotlight toward the next generation of football stars — and toward a collecting phenomenon that has long become part of global pop culture.

When young players make their first appearances on the big stage of the Bundesliga, it often marks the beginning of more than just a career. For fans and collectors, it also signals the start of a new football story — one that can quite literally be held in your hands through Rookie Cards, the very first trading cards of a player.

- Topps

The new Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025/26 collection places these moments at the center, combining classic collecting culture with modern design. Metallic finishes, limitededition color parallels and a premium chrome look create a style that feels closer to streetwear aesthetics and pop culture than traditional sports memorabilia.

Topps Chrome®: The coolness of the next generation

The face of the new Chrome collection embodies exactly that spirit: Saïd El Mala (1. FC Köln),
one of the most exciting rookies of the season and a key chase card in the set. El Mala himself loves the idea of appearing in the collection. “It’s pretty cool when people can pull your card,” he says. And if someone happens to find his ultra-rare 1/1 card, he would definitely try to get it back: “I’d offer them quite a lot — as long as they give me the card.”

Even though the collecting bug is slowly starting to catch him, El Mala admits that he still hasn’t
fully processed his Bundesliga debut. “Sometimes you have to pinch yourself a few times before it really sinks in.” Growing up, his biggest inspiration was Cristiano Ronaldo, though he prefers to follow his own instinctive style of play. “I just play intuitively — clear your head and just start dribbling. It’s important to stay focused on why you started playing in the first place: because it’s fun.”

The Bundesliga as a stage for great football stories

That mindset is exactly what defines young talents like El Mala. “For me, a top rookie is someone who plays without fear,” says sports journalist and content creator Manuel Thiele. “They go into a game without overthinking it — they just want to play.” Few leagues worldwide have such a reputation for developing young talent as the Bundesliga. Many global football stars took their first steps in Germany. “In recent years we’ve seen slightly fewer breakthrough talents — which is exactly why it’s exciting when players like El Mala appear and show what they can do,” Thiele adds. The current Bundesliga rookie class promises plenty of unforgettable moments. With rising stars like Lennart Karl (FC Bayern München), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig) and Luka Vušković (Hamburger SV), the new Chrome edition offers a particularly exciting chase for fans and collectors.

About the players

13

Saïd

El Mala

1. FC Köln

Why Rookie Cards tell the future of football

Many of today’s biggest football stars first appeared as young prospects on their first trading cards, long before they lifted Bundesliga trophies or UEFA Champions League titles.

For collectors, spotting young talent early can feel like a form of sporting scouting. The right pick today could become a valuable piece of football history tomorrow.

A prime example is Erling Haaland: a 1/1 Chrome card from his Borussia Dortmund era once sold for an incredible $432,000, making it the most expensive Bundesliga trading card ever sold.

The emotional value of rookie cards is also highlighted by Tim Lehmann, content creator and 1. FC Köln fan: “A player’s first trading card is a visible milestone that shows: this player has arrived. For me as a fan, it’s not just a collectible — it’s a small piece of the beginning of their story.”

Football moments you can hold: Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025/26

The new Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025/26 collection captures unforgettable football
moments on premium Chrome cards, featuring bold designs, exciting inserts and a strong autograph lineup.

The edition includes:

• Global superstars such as Raúl, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland
• Club legends including Gerd Müller, Uwe Seeler and Alexander Meier
• Rookies set to define the 2025/26 season

Football fans and collectors can find the new collection starting today at selected hobby
retailers and online at topps.com