<p><em>Panini Legends</em>, a new book about the cult of soccer stickers, features 85 icons such as Pelé, Diego Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer, and Bobby Moore as well as Lionel Messi, Marta, Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Alexia Putellas, among many others.</p>



<p>Written by Greg Lansdowne, each of the 85 stars featured includes a selection of photos of the player as featured in Panini stickers from his or her career. Plus there’s a short biography and a list of which Panini albums the star appears in. For the stickers of the stars that are more collectible, the book includes insight into how much some of those individual stickers have sold for at auction.</p>



<p>While featuring legends worldwide, the book is certainly more British-centric. For example, the first six of the seven players featured are British. Keegan, Dalglish, Bale, Gascoigne, Lineker, and Beckham. The exception is Diego Maradona. It would have been more interesting to spread the British stars throughout the book instead of being so very British-heavy in the opening pages.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, there are plenty of other players to browse through of players from around the world.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="781" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20250302_WST_555022_91bmI9ejgxL._SL1500_-1200x781_10cd839d.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=781" alt="" class="wp-image-555646" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/19161124/91bmI9ejgxL._SL1500_-1200x781.jpg 1200w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/19161124/91bmI9ejgxL._SL1500_-300x195.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/19161124/91bmI9ejgxL._SL1500_-768x500.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/19161124/91bmI9ejgxL._SL1500_.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>Panini Legends book review: Is it worth purchasing?</h2>



<p>Beautifully illustrated, <em>Panini Legends </em>is more helpful as a reference book, stocking stuffer, or collector’s item for enthusiasts who collect Panini soccer stickers. Certainly, however, the opening several pages where it discusses the rise in popularity of Panini <a href="http://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/soccer-stickers/">soccer stickers</a> is interesting, particularly the interest in stickers for women’s soccer competitions such as the Women’s World Cup.</p>



<p>Overall, though, it’s best experienced as a book to flick through. Each player’s history in Panini stickers isn’t must-read material even for someone like myself who is obsessed with collecting Panini stickers.</p>



<p>So, the book ends up being more visually appealing than an interesting read. For many fans, that’s fine in itself. It’s the ideal coffee table book for diehard soccer fans.</p>



<p>Speaking of visuals, it’s eye-opening to see how some players look so different from year to year in the Panini stickers. You can see Thierry Henry practically transform his look in the pages of this book. On the other hand, Mo Salah looks the same now as he did in his early Panini sticker photographs at Fiorentina and AS Roma.</p>



<p>All in all, there are more than 900 stickers featured in the book, so there’s plenty to look at even if the reading is less interesting.</p>



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<p><em>MSRP $24.00; 240 pages. Available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Panini-Legends-Celebration-Greatest-Football/dp/1399412337/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon</a> and at other fine booksellers.</em></p>

Panini Legends book review: A visual feast for sticker fanatics

In our Panini Legends book review, we take a closer look at Greg Lansdowne's new book to give our thoughts on whether it's worth picking up.

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<p>Panini, the company known for its tradition of creating soccer trading cards and stickers, is relinquishing that role for the Premier League to Fanatics brand Topps. The American company will become the Premier League’s exclusive partner beginning in June 2025. Thus, it’ll end the six-year partnership between Panini and the Premier League.</p>



<p>As part of this deal, Fanatics, in collaboration with Topps will create Premier League trading cards. Additionally, Fanatics will sell stickers and related books that fans can collect. Prior to the deal with Panini, Topps sold stickers and related collectives from 1994 to 2019. As a result of adding the Premier League, Fanatics and Topps now have products involving the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/topps-bundesliga-sticker-collections-from-2018-through-2021-video-20210717-CMS-340075.html">Bundesliga</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/topps-2021-mls-trading-cards-featuring-tanner-tessmann-autograph-video-20210717-CMS-340071.html">Major League Soccer</a> and the UEFA Champions League.</p>



<p>“This is a big deal for us,” David Leiner, Fanatics Collectibles’ president of trading cards, told <em><a href="https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/memorabilia/fanatics-adds-crown-jewel-with-exclusive-deal-for-premier-league-cards" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cllct</a></em>. “On a global basis, you have arguably the top domestic league in football in the Premier League — some of the top-tier clubs, top-tier players in the world. So, this is absolutely massive.”</p>



<p>Leiner went on to add that the Premier League was one of the jewels that Fanatics was missing in its crown. He hesitated to outwardly commit to what the products would look like in the lineup. However, previous iterations of Topps can point to what is in store for the Premier League.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240508_WST_505680_Topps-1200x670_3f9fe976.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-505710" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Topps-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Topps-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Topps-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Topps.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>Fanatics to bring back popular Premier League trading card packages</h2>



<p>The Topps Chrome set is the company’s most popular form of product that exists in other leagues and sports. Card collectors often preserve the Topps Chrome packs because of their quality and durability. They make it easy for traders to make a profit on valuable cards, particularly when they go up in value over time. Topps released this edition of cards last time it had the rights to the Premier League before Panini took over.</p>



<p>While North America has a strong culture of trading cards, Europe and South America generally have more of a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/how-to-complete-a-world-cup-sticker-album-20221102-WST-405984.html">preference for stickers</a>. The deal with the Premier League is a way for Topps and Fanatics to continue the growth of the trading card market in Europe.</p>



<p>“I think you’re going to see a massive amount of continued growth in Europe and the same thing in Latin America, which is still very sticker focused,” Leiner said. “I think we’re seeing a burgeoning business there on the trading-card game and trading-card side. And again, I think soccer still has yet to have its day here in North America. Messi coming to MLS is helping to raise the bar. The World Cup coming here is going to raise that bar, but properties like the Premier League are, I think, always going to be the crown jewel of global football.”</p>



<p>Fanatics also may start using shirt patches to add another facet to its base of collectibles. In Major League Soccer, players making their debut wear a <a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-debut-patches-what-to-know-about-the-trading-cards-program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Debut Patch</a> on their kit. After the game, the kit team removes the patch and uses an adhesive to apply it to a trading card. It will be a one-of-one collectible.</p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Interview with Panini about Soccer Trading Cards &amp; Stickers" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NAqt2W2gRgw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Topps to replace Panini for Premier League cards, stickers

Panini is relinquishing its trading card and sticker duties for the Premier League to Fanatics Collectibles in 2025.

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Panini Legends book review: A visual feast for sticker fanatics

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Topps to replace Panini for Premier League cards, stickers