2022 World Cup Cards

[BJD]

I'll have to take your word for it that there are hobby shops in the Netherlands. One of the big American dealers who has a large youtube channel currently resides in the Netherlands and he stated that the hobby was more or less non-existent there and that there were no hobby shops.

As for stating that the Netherlands is not a top 5 soccer mad country. Well, firstly what are you basing that on? Have you lived there? When you say mad what do you even mean? Mad as in passionate? Because if that's what you are stating that has absolutely no correlation to the hobby. Brazil is probably the 'maddest' soccer loving country in the world but half its population lives in abject poverty so not exactly fertile ground for the hobby. Soccer is absolutely the no.1 sport in the Netherlands. No other sport comes close. There is nothing else. Does the UK make your top 5? Rugby Union and League have a significant presence there. Soccer is their no1 sport but it's not the only sport - unlike the Netherlands.

Also, since you started off by taking the moral high ground by saying that you are just a collector and insinuating that I'm an 'investor' I'm going to assume that you have never sold a card in your entire life? That makes you a very rare species. I'm not an "investor' myself but I'm happy to flip some cards to offset the significant cost of collecting.

I'm curious as to the boxes you picked up? It would've been helpful if you had expanded a bit. Just stating you picked up a couple of boxes doesn't say much. Was it Panini XL Adrenalyn? Boxes of stickers? They've always had those - mostly in newsagents and supermarkets.

In regards to my comments about The Netherlands, I was speaking in terms of how mad their supporters are. I wouldn't even put them in the Top 10 to be honest and there are MANY countries that go unnoticed when it comes to football crazy fans. Brazil is definitely in the Top 5, but I wouldn't call them the 'maddest'.

In terms of national level football, the English fans are mental and definitely make my Top 5.

I didn't take the moral high ground at all, you have taken that the wrong way. I merely stated that I am a collector and not an investor, therefore I couldn't talk to that part. Nothing wrong with me saying that. I most certainly have sold cards but believe it or not, every single card I have ever sold has been below market price by a mile and sometimes even at a loss. I even sold a card today for $30 under what it's worth because I wanted to do them a favour. So please don't talk to me about "moral high ground" mate.

But you have gone off topic here. You were trying to make the point that basically the hobby is small and only in the UK does it have a chance of growing. My point was that I believe you are wrong and it is perfectly fine as a hobby and the interest is there. On an investment level, I can't speak to that as I stated earlier.

 

[ozsportscardcollector]

In regards to my comments about The Netherlands, I was speaking in terms of how mad their supporters are. I wouldn't even put them in the Top 10 to be honest and there are MANY countries that go unnoticed when it comes to football crazy fans. Brazil is definitely in the Top 5, but I wouldn't call them the 'maddest'.

In terms of national level football, the English fans are mental and definitely make my Top 5.

I didn't take the moral high ground at all, you have taken that the wrong way. I merely stated that I am a collector and not an investor, therefore I couldn't talk to that part. Nothing wrong with me saying that. I most certainly have sold cards but believe it or not, every single card I have ever sold has been below market price by a mile and sometimes even at a loss. I even sold a card today for $30 under what it's worth because I wanted to do them a favour. So please don't talk to me about "moral high ground" mate.

But you have gone off topic here. You were trying to make the point that basically the hobby is small and only in the UK does it have a chance of growing. My point was that I believe you are wrong and it is perfectly fine as a hobby and the interest is there. On an investment level, I can't speak to that as I stated earlier.

Fair enough mate.

You still didn't explain what mad ( mental even) means in relation to the the hobby. You can be as mad as you like but if you don't have a culture of sportscards and/or disposable income it is a meaningless measure imo.

We'll agree to disagree. I stand by my statement that the hobby is small and that popular in real life has little relevance to popular hobby wise. You disagree.

P.S. My overall negativity towards soccer may be due to a lingering bitterness from 40 years ago when I was chased from the field as a 12 year old when we played Melbourne Croatia, as they were then known. I had laid a couple of heavy but fair tackles on their two forwards (one was called Elvis) and some of their parents ran onto the ground and tried to bash me - a 12 year old kid.

The ref who was scared shitless was forced to give me two yellow cards as he too was being physically harrassed by these truly mad people. And when I use the word mad I mean mad as in mentally ill. I was sent off and never played another game of soccer in my life.

 

[ozsportscardcollector]

In regards to my comments about The Netherlands, I was speaking in terms of how mad their supporters are. I wouldn't even put them in the Top 10 to be honest and there are MANY countries that go unnoticed when it comes to football crazy fans. Brazil is definitely in the Top 5, but I wouldn't call them the 'maddest'.

In terms of national level football, the English fans are mental and definitely make my Top 5.

I didn't take the moral high ground at all, you have taken that the wrong way. I merely stated that I am a collector and not an investor, therefore I couldn't talk to that part. Nothing wrong with me saying that. I most certainly have sold cards but believe it or not, every single card I have ever sold has been below market price by a mile and sometimes even at a loss. I even sold a card today for $30 under what it's worth because I wanted to do them a favour. So please don't talk to me about "moral high ground" mate.

But you have gone off topic here. You were trying to make the point that basically the hobby is small and only in the UK does it have a chance of growing. My point was that I believe you are wrong and it is perfectly fine as a hobby and the interest is there. On an investment level, I can't speak to that as I stated earlier.

I take most of it back. I enjoyed the world cup immensily and even watched the entire Glasgow derby last night - also most enjoyable. I'm retracting my statement that soccer is a mirage as far as the hobbby is concerned. I do think that there are currently too many soccer products being released but eventually the hobby will grow significantly. I'm disappointed at missing out on some Mbappe auctions recently but I will snag a 2017-18 Topps Chrome card before they get too expensive.They are a must have. I didn't realise he was quite that good.

Anyway. Go the soccer hobby.

 

[BJD]

I take most of it back. I enjoyed the world cup immensily and even watched the entire Glasgow derby last night - also most enjoyable. I'm retracting my statement that soccer is a mirage as far as the hobbby is concerned. I do think that there are currently too many soccer products being released but eventually the hobby will grow significantly. I'm disappointed at missing out on some Mbappe auctions recently but I will snag a 2017-18 Topps Chrome card before they get too expensive.They are a must have. I didn't realise he was quite that good.

Anyway. Go the soccer hobby.

World Cup was amazing. For the all the negative talk about it, I thought it was ran very well and as far as the matches went, the entertainment was great. Poland vs Saudi Arabia was my favourite match outside of the final, because that final was insanity. Loved it.
I don't follow PSG or France, so Mbappe is not for me, but go nuts!
As for your story about Melbourne Croatia, unfortunately us Balkans in general were born with the need for immediate anger management haha. Pretty trash that you went through that though, as a 12 year old as well. Some parents just don't get it.