El Mala takes the collecting world by storm in the Chrome box | OneFootball

Attention football fans and collectors: Just in time for the season finale, the new Bundesliga Topps Chrome 2025/26 collection is being released—and it brings a very special shine with it. This year, a new generation of exceptional talents is in the spotlight. One of them is Saïd El Mala. Topps spoke with the Cologne high-flyer about his meteoric rise, the call from the national team coach, and what it feels like to suddenly be a sought-after "Rookie Card" himself.

There are moments when a life completely turns around within just a few months. For Saïd El Mala, the past year was exactly such a rollercoaster ride. Just a year ago, he was playing in the 3rd division; today, he is one of the most exciting players in the Bundesliga and a so-called "chase player" in the brand-new Topps Chrome Bundesliga 2025/26 collection. This means: He is one of the players whose cards are most intensely hunted by collectors worldwide.

The "RC" Seal: A Badge of Honor for Collectors

In the new collection, which impresses with a completely fresh design and the usual high-quality Chrome technology, talents like El Mala are clearly marked with the RC symbol (Rookie Card). The special thing: This logo only appears in the debut season. After that, it disappears—making these cards extremely valuable for collectors.

For El Mala, it all still feels a bit surreal: "So far, I haven’t really realized it all. You have to pinch yourself a few times for it to sink in," he admits. The fact that people are now opening boxes specifically to look for him flatters him: "It’s a great feeling that people are so crazy about pulling a card of me."

"Back in school, we used to switch and trade"

The passion for Topps is nothing new to El Mala. When asked if he used to collect himself, he answers without hesitation: "Yes, I definitely did. It was actually weird if someone didn’t." The schoolyards back then were his first transfer market, where cards were "switched and traded."

Today, fans stand at the training ground—not to trade anymore, but to get an autograph on his own card. "Once things got more serious, I thought it would be really cool if people could pull you, or if you could even pull yourself," he says with a grin. Especially the on-card autographs from the Chrome Superior series, which sometimes even include personal inscriptions from the stars, are among the absolute highlights of the new edition.

A Year of Superlatives: From Cologne to the National Team

El Mala’s success is closely tied to the passion of the Cologne fans: "Nothing works without the fans," he says emphatically. "The energy they bring every week... it’s just so much fun to play for them." This energy carried him all the way to the national team—a moment that topped everything for him so far.

"I was sitting on the couch with Malek and at first didn’t pick up because I didn’t know who it was. Then I saw on the display that it said Julian Nagelsmann—just the national team coach’s number."

What Awaits You in Topps Chrome Bundesliga 2025/26

The collection is more than just a hobby—it’s an experience. Here are the key points for all hunters and collectors:

The Base Set: Full Chrome technology for a premium look and feel.

The Parallels: A rainbow of possibilities—from numbered variants to the ultra-rare FrozenFractor and the legendary 1-of-1 SuperFractor.

Hobby Box Highlights: On average, two Chrome autograph cards per box.

Insert Sets & Case Hits: Spectacular designs like Electrified or Wild Jungle, as well as extremely rare short prints like Anime and Helix.

Value Boxes: Exclusive Pulsar and Mini Diamonds parallels, plus the new Black Spectrum card (known from Match Attax, now in premium Chrome quality).

Things get especially exciting with the 1/1 cards, which exist only once worldwide. El Mala already has a plan for the hunt for the unique card, should someone pull his personal 1/1: "I’d offer them a jersey, maybe even a few tickets to the stadium or a football challenge—whatever it takes, as long as they give me the card!"

Moments for Eternity

In addition to the classic cards, Topps also offers real-time collectibles. With Topps NOW, cards of the most incredible moments are released after each matchday, available online for just one week. El Mala knows exactly which moment he would choose: "My goal against Hoffenheim in the first leg. It was my first goal in the starting lineup. That’s the one I’d pick."

And who’s on his own wish list? Besides his own card, he’s eyeing other top rookies of the season: "Definitely Diomande, he’s also a top player. I think out of all those who are now becoming the new rising stars, I’d really like to have a card."

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro collector: Topps Chrome Bundesliga 2025/26 offers an unparalleled opening experience. Will you pull Saïd El Mala from your next pack? The hunt is on!

Bundesliga Topps Chrome® 2025-26 – Collector’s Guide - Topps Ripped

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.