To celebrate the Castro Collects 2-year anniversary, Ric Ellis — the hobby's most knowledgeable insider — sits down with Castro and Konky for one of the most information-packed episodes Ten21 has ever done.

Ric breaks down why the Messi 2004 Panini Megacracks rookie — once basically free at your local shop — just hit $1.5 million for a PSA 10. He explains why Lamine Yamal cards are still a buy despite the oversigning concerns, who the most undervalued World Cup players are RIGHT NOW, and why the soccer card market will peak in May — before FIFA 2026 kicks off, not during it.

Plus — the $500K card investment debate: would you put half a million into a Messi, a Michael Jordan, a Lamine Yamal rookie, or a Pokémon card? The answer might surprise you.

They also get into the real story behind how card breaking was born, how Ric flipped Target and Walmart cards to keep his family fed during COVID, what's wrong with the card show experience and how to fix it, and why Fanatics taking over everything is both terrifying and necessary.

Topics covered:

• Castro Collects 2-year anniversary — how it all started

• Messi 2004 Megacracks: from worthless to $1.5 million • Lamine Yamal vs Messi — which card wins in 10 years?

• $500K debate: Messi, Jordan, Yamal, or Pokémon? • Pokémon beating the S&P 500 — Charizard can't tear an ACL

• FIFA 2026 card market prediction — buy in May, not during the tournament • Best under-$1,000 World Cup card investments right now

• How Ric used card flipping to survive COVID

• What's broken about card shows and how to fix it

• Fanatics, Topps, and the future of the hobby

• How breaking went from Castro's living room to Antoine Griezmann

Listen on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Soccer is the world's most popular sport — and according to statistics, also the most corrupt. In this episode of the TEN21Podcast, Castro and the crew break down the biggest soccer conspiracies and scandals ever recorded. Most of these aren'tjust theories — they're proven criminal convictions backed by CNN, court records, and congressional investigations.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

🔴 FIFA Gate — How 7 senior FIFA officials were arrested at a hotel in Switzerland at 6AM. Over $150 million in bribes across two generations of executives. World Cup hosting votes for sale.

🔴 Qatar & The 2022 World Cup — Did Qatar hire ex-CIA operatives to dig up dirt on rival countries? Did they buy their way into hosting the biggest sporting event on earth?

🔴 Ronaldo's 1998 World Cup Seizure — R9 suffered a seizure hours before the World Cup Final. Nike had contractual power over the Brazilian national team. Was he pressured to play?

🔴 Maradona & FIFA's Secret Drug Deal — Reports claim FIFA privately promised Maradona immunity from drug testing at USA 94, then betrayed him when political pressure mounted.

🔴 Juventus & The Calciopoli Scandal — The Italian giants were caught on audio choosing referees. They were relegated to Serie B.

🔴 The 2013 Ballon d'Or Conspiracy — Did FIFA extend the voting window specifically to benefit Ronaldo over Frank Ribery?

🔴 Senegal vs Morocco AFCON — A match stopped by corruption, a trophy lifted, and then taken away months later.

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The first guest in Ten21 history drops an episode's worth of takes. AA9Skillz joins Castro and Konky to break down new fatherhood, why IShowSpeed did more for US soccer than Messi, and the honest truth about why the FIFA content era is over.

Plus — the real reason US soccer stays broken, whether the NFL should hand over the "football" name, and raising kids completely off the internet. No script. No filter. Real talk.

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Castro and Adam talk about the biggest stories going into the World Cup!

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In this episode, we delve into the origins of Castro’s passion for the game. We also explore why Castro supports Manchester United and what it was like playing in the Sidemen charity matches.

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Reset episode. Why Castro streams less, will Castro stream FIFA again, where life is now. Plus, what's in store with the World Cup right around the corner.

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