When it comes to Sorare cards some of the most interesting cards aren't just rare because of their scarcity, they also have unique stories behind them. From misprints to one-of-a-kind designs, Sorare has minted a variety of cards that have become collector's items due to their unusual qualities. In this article, we'll explore a few Sorare cards that tell a story, and examine what makes them so special. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just curious about the world of Sorare, these cards offer a fascinating glimpse into the history and culture of Sorare.
We'll start this article off with a goalkeeper, we are still Chasing Chilavert for a reason.
These are the cards of the Belgian goalkeeper Miguel Van Damme, playing for Cercle Brugge. After Van Damme was diagnosed with a form of leukemia in late June 2016, the goalkeeper underwent several chemotherapy treatments and announced in March 2017 that he had conquered the disease. However, he subsequently suffered up to six relapses.
In September 2020, it appeared no more treatments were possible. Van Damme was at the end of his contract with Cercle but he has since been allowed to sign a new one-season commitment, albeit mainly symbolic.
On 29 March 2022, Van Damme died at the age of 28 from the effects of his illness. As you can see on his picture on the Sorare cards, he's clearly very ill. Cercle Brugge put his photos for the 2021-2022 season online and reserved a spot for Van Damme in it. A nice gesture from the club.
Hannes Van der Bruggen
Let's keep the ball rolling with a more cheerful Sorare card. This is Hannes Van der Bruggen, also a player from Cercle Brugge. Clearly in a good mood, giving us the thumbs up.
Van der Bruggen still plays for Cercle Brugge to this day although it is possible he's less cheery, as he is mostly a backup.
Enzo Péres
There are only a few cards minted of Enzo Pérez as a goalkeeper. The reason is simple, he's actually a midfielder. Back in May 2021 when the Coronavirus was in full swing, River Plate had 20 players out with COVID-19, including all four of their goalkeepers.
They had to play their Copa Libertadores game with midfielder Enzo Perez in goal, and no substitutes. They won 2-1. And to make the story even more unbelievable, Enzo Perez was the man of the match.
Special Edition cards These cards simply adopt a different look than the classic cards, depending on the theme of the limited edition: Player Of The Year, Rookie, PSG 50th Anniversary, Champion Edition, Sunrise Edition, etc.
I'm actually a huge fan of the Player Edition cards as I think they are one of the most beautiful on the platform. If a real-life football player joins the platform he can ask Sorare for his Player Edition card for free. Sorare has one player edition card per season available for every footballer who has an account, making them unique.
Jared Bowen
Who currently plays for West Ham United in the English Premier League. Bowen is a versatile attacker who can play on both wings or as a forward, known for his pace, dribbling skills, and goal-scoring ability. But he has a problem with eating like an adult. There is a 2019-2020 Sorare card floating on Sorare where he appears to have a reddish stain on his shirt. What is rather weird is that only the card with the number 2/100 has the stain, and the others do not. Check his cards here to see the difference. The stain is right above the Umbro logo.
Misprints
There are also a few examples of minting mishaps or 'misprints'. Mostly not fully loaded photos are causing the problem.
Here is a small part missing from Gonzalez:
And a bigger part missing from Affengruber, only showing the eyes, making him a bit mysterious. It can always be worse. Nordine Kandil has nothing to show on this card.
There is also one card minted where there is a problem with the font of the name of the player. Setting it apart from the rest.
Omar Elabdellaoui
“I can’t see, I can’t see,” Omar Elabdellaoui shouted at a friend after a firework exploded in his face on New Year’s Eve 2020. Gunpowder and metal had penetrated his skin and eyeballs. His wife ran to help put out the flames but the devastation was obvious. It was to be the start of a long road to recovery for the former Galatasaray defender, now Bodo/Glimt.
In February 2021, a doctor at the Cincinnati Eye Institute gave Elabdellaoui a 5-10% chance of getting his sight back and described it as one of the worst injuries he’d examined in his 35-year career.
It was described as four times worse than the injuries suffered by an American soldier who’d been treated after being blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan.
After 11 surgeries on his eye in the United States and over a year since the accident, the former Olympiacos and Man City player has done the unthinkable. He's back on the pitch, giving off Edgar Davids vibes.
Anton Walkes
Unfortunately, there are also some players that have died along the way. One of them is Anton Walkes (Charlotte). Walkes was found unconscious and taken to a hospital after the crash between two boats in Miami.
Walkes was a passenger in one of the boats that crashed.
And let's end the series with another goalkeeper. Davor Matijas now plays for Beerschot, but when he was still at their rivals, Antwerp, he has one card minted where he was just a bit shorter than normal... Making it stand out from the crowd, not literary.
Migue Leal & Damil Dankerlui You get number 12 in this series for free. I didn't know about it but Martin SoRare // FIFA23 messaged me on Twitter with this gem. When Migue Leal played for Groningen on a loan from Villareal, the minted cards were unfortunately of his competitor at the right wing-back, Damil Dankerlui. A little mix-up on Sorare part.
Are these 'unique' Sorare cards more valuable than the rest? This a difficult question as one man's trash is another man's treasure.