Lego Scores a Goal with New Footballer Minifigure Collection
The world of football is getting a serious brick-based upgrade, with Lego unveiling a stunning new range of collectible sets dedicated to some of the game's biggest stars. Inspired by the upcoming 2026 World Cup, Lego is diving headfirst into the beautiful game with an array of products, from a buildable replica of the iconic trophy to official football sets. But the real showstoppers are four new sets celebrating the careers of footballing legends Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Vinícius Júnior.
These aren't your average Lego minifigures. Each player has been meticulously recreated with highly detailed, dual-moulded minifigures, capturing their likeness with impressive accuracy. However, the challenge with traditional minifigures is their size, making it difficult to create a truly impactful display piece. Lego's innovative solution lies in unique designs tailored to each footballer's individual story and achievements.
A Personalised Tribute for Every Legend
Each of these four new sets is a bespoke creation, designed to reflect the personality and career of the player it honours. The bases are cleverly shaped like the first letter of the player's surname, incorporating the colours of their national teams. Adding to the authenticity, the player's iconic shirt number is prominently displayed, alongside a collectable plaque detailing their impressive stats.
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Cristiano Ronaldo: His set is a vibrant tribute featuring Portugal's national colours. It includes nods to his famous "CR7" branding and subtle "Easter eggs" that allude to his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to global superstardom in Portugal.
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Kylian Mbappé: This set evokes the spirit of Paris, Mbappé's home city. It also includes a clever, understated reference to France's multiple World Cup victories, celebrating his nation's success on the world stage.
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Lionel Messi: Built upon an "M"-shaped brick, this set proudly displays Argentina's iconic blue and white stripes. It's a fitting tribute to one of the greatest players to ever grace the pitch.
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Vinícius Júnior: This dynamic set allows fans to pose Vini Jr. in a goal-scoring action shot. It’s brought to life with exaggerated, comic-book-style Lego effects, adding a playful and energetic flair to the display.
Football Legends: Larger-Than-Life Collectibles
Beyond the individual player highlights, Lego has also released two "Football Legends" sets, offering larger, more elaborate brick-built representations of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
These sets provide fans with the flexibility to build their chosen legend in one of two iconic poses. For Ronaldo, instructions are available for his signature "Siuuu" celebration or his acrobatic bicycle kick. This larger set also boasts a dedicated CR7 display area, a printed plaque, a newly designed Lego football piece, and a dual-moulded face for enhanced detail.
Similarly, the Messi "Football Legends" set offers two build options: his triumphant victory pose, pointing skyward, or a dynamic running design showcasing his legendary dribbling skills as he weaves across the pitch.
The Ultimate Fan Piece: A Massive Messi Celebration
Taking centre stage is the colossal Lionel Messi – Celebration set. This impressive build comprises a staggering 1,427 pieces and is designed to function as a striking 3D wall art. It captures Messi in his iconic victory pose, with the entire set intricately detailed with references woven throughout his illustrious life and career.
Speaking about the inspiration behind these incredible sets, Lego designer Luka Grković, who was instrumental in developing the Ronaldo and Mbappé collections, expressed his excitement. "I'm from the Lego Editions team, which is where these sets are coming out of, and I'm a huge football fan," Grković shared. "They actually brought me from another team just to do these sets. So this is like a dream come true for me."
He elaborated on the vision for the collection: "The idea of these is to make the ultimate collectible football highlight for each player, showcasing a bit of their history as a footballer, capturing a very dynamic football kick, and having this really cool minifigure that's highly detailed," he added. "There’s a lot of references to the football players’ careers, like which clubs they played for, how many goals they’ve scored, and what they’re known for. So they’re really designed for hardcore fans."
Pricing and Availability
For those eager to add these pieces to their collection, here's a breakdown of the pricing:
- FIFA World Cup Official Trophy: £159.99
- Football Set: £99.99
- Four Football Highlights Sets (Ronaldo, Mbappé, Messi, Vini Jr.): £24.99 each
- Two Football Legends Sets (Ronaldo, Messi): £69.99 each
- Lionel Messi – Celebration Set: £159.99
All these fantastic sets are set to be available from May 1st. However, fans can secure their desired sets by pre-ordering them now directly from the official Lego website and other authorised retailers.
These football-themed creations are part of the broader Lego Editions line, which already features impressive sets from other sports like Formula 1 and basketball, as well as detailed recreations of popular Nike trainers. While Lego remains tight-lipped about future releases, the success and detailed execution of these footballer displays suggest that we could see Lego venturing into celebrating other cultural icons, perhaps even pop stars and other celebrities, in the future. The possibilities, much like a perfectly executed through ball, are endless.
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