Topps replaces Panini for Euro 2024 sticker album – and leave out half the England team

The official sticker album for this summer’s European Championship has sparked fury and mockery after it emerged it does not include several of England’s star players but features Wales, who failed to qualify.

Aficionados have branded the Uefa Euro 2024 album, produced by Topps, “arguably the most controversial sticker album of all time”, amid complaints it is missing the likes of Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker but contains fringe players who may not even make the England squad.

They include Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze, Fikayo Tomori, Callum Wilson, Rico Lewis and Luke Thomas – the Leicester City full-back on loan at Middlesbrough who has never even had a senior call-up.

The album also features Wales after being printed before their agonising play-off penalty-shootout defeat against Poland last month.

A Topps spokesperson said: “Topps is proud of its first Euro 2024 sticker collection for the upcoming competition. While we are disappointed that a small number of players are missing, this is due to the tournament’s former sticker partner having blocked certain parts of the collection to the detriment of the fans. Unlike the former sticker partner, we are committed to the fans and believe the offering of stickers and cards – and range of current and former players – will get everyone excited for the tournament.”

The farce follows Uefa’s decision two years ago to dump Panini as its sticker and trading card partner, ending the Italian firm’s involvement in the Euros that dated back to 1976.

For while Topps now holds the over rights to the championship, its rival has retained those to aspects of certain top teams, including England, France, Spain, Italy and this summer’s hosts Germany.

The Topps album does contain those countries and many members of their likely squads but does not feature their kits or crests or images for certain players.

To rub salt into the wound, Panini has produced its own rival album featuring most of the missing elements.

However, that will also make it much more expensive for those collectors wanting a complete set of Euro 2024 player stickers, and for parents being pestered by their children to purchase them.

The Topps album contains 728 stickers, which cost £1 for a packet of six, and the Panini one 387, which costs 90p for five.

Completing both would cost a minimum of £192 – but likely much more given the number of duplicates that would emerge when purchasing multiple packets.

The host of Blazey Collects, a YouTube trading card channel, branded the Topps album “arguably the most controversial sticker album of all time” and accused both manufacturers of dropping the ball.