Tom Earnshaw
Got. Got. Need. It's that time of year again. Euro 2024 is here and with it, the return of the sticker book.
Embedded in the psyche of football fans from a young age, getting a sticker book for the Euros or World Cup is a rite of passage in the same way collecting Pokemon cards was in the 1990s and early 2000s (if you're old enough to remember that like the millennial writing this, that is).
And now, the cost of actually completing the album for 2024 has been revealed with the tournament set to kick off on Friday (14 June), providing us with a solid month of international footballing goodness. The cost, though, is anything but good when it comes to the impact it'll have on your bank account.
Ever since the 1970s, Italian company Panini has been given the responsibility of producing the sticker books, starting with the 1970 World Cup before taking up the mantle for the Euros in 1976.
Advert
We all know the layout. Each team with designated double page spreads with rectangular spaces for player stickers, as well as a space for a shiny badge showcasing the national team. Peak nostalgia and fond memories of badgering my dad for another pack of stickers on his way back from work.
But after almost half a century of providing the goods for the European tournament, Euro 2024 has seen Panini replaced by UEFA.
The official publisher of the collection is now Topps, which you might know through their Merlin brand that supplies for Premier League sticker albums.
It's got a little murky, though, with Topps not able to actually supply stickers for every single footballer partaking in the Euros.
Advert
That comes down to Panini still retaining the rights and permissions to some of the top teams in Europe. And yes, that includes England as well as Spain and Germany.
So if you're loyal to just Topps it is impossible to actually fill the Euro 2024 sticker book with no stickers for the likes of Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and John Stones. Instead, you'll get players who haven't even made it to the final squad such as Rico Lewis.
And this is why it'll be costly for 2024, with Panini bringing out its own sticker book entitled 'England 2024 Tournament Edition' featuring stickers for the England, France, Germany and Italy teams.
Experts said that it means neither album is fully complete as a result, with Panini also including 'legends' spots like Emile Heskey due to them not having the full rights just as Topps doesn't.
Advert
One super fan of the sticker albums is Blazey, who hosts YouTube channel Blazey Collects. He said: “Both manufacturers have dropped the ball on this one, which is really disappointing.
"This should be the most exciting time of the year for collecting. You’ve got your albums, you’re excited to get it complete."
With there being two on the market, statisticians have predicted it could cost £1,000 to fill both. We're talking more than two grand because of the row.
The Topps album costs £6.99 and £1 for a pack of six stickers. The Panini book is £3 with a free packet of stickers with every £20 spent in store at M&S.