Many stars missing

Kahn in the German EM squad? That’s what’s behind it

The new European Championship album is a surprise for fans. Legend Oliver Kahn is the only German goalkeeper to be included.(Bild: „Krone“, Topps)

Surprises in the new European Championship sticker album! "Sportkrone.at" took a closer look at the booklet and it's striking: Many soccer stars are not even included. You won't find Kylian Mbappé, Manuel Neuer, Marc-André ter Stegen or Florian Wirtz. Bayern legend Oliver Kahn is therefore the only goalkeeper in the German squad. The play-off participants (e.g. Luxembourg) are also represented. "Despite all efforts, some players have decided not to be represented in the collection," it says on the first page of the album. 

For the first time since 1980, the official sticker partner is no longer Panini. UEFA is joining forces with "Topps" in future. The US company secured the rights for the 2024 and 2028 European Championships, with none other than star coach Jose Mourinho as the advertising face.

728 stickers on 88 pages
The new European Championship album went on sale on Thursday. There are a total of 728 stickers to collect, spread over 88 pages. A pack of six stickers costs one euro. A new feature is that each team has four players who are presented as "star players" or "players to watch". There is also a "Dream Team" page for free stickers.

"In terms of design, we are trying to create our own style and not copy what has been done in the past," says Eric Heger, Sales and Marketing Director DACH at Topps, when asked by Sportkrone.at. 

Missing rights
On closer inspection, however, one is surprised to discover that many stars are not even available as coveted stickers. The reason for this? Lack of rights to the images. For example, Florian Wirtz, Toni Kroos, Antonio Rüdiger and Jonathan Tah, who are currently mainstays in national coach Julian Nagelsmann's DFB squad, are missing. In the goalkeeper position, all the established players such as Neuer and ter Stegen are missing. Bayern legend Oliver Kahn has made it into the album instead.

Statement on the first page
On the first page of the booklet it says: "You may notice that a few nations and athletes are represented differently to the rest. Despite our best efforts, some players have chosen not to be represented in the collection. We at Topps are committed to giving you - the collector - the best collecting experience ever with this unique sticker album."

This suggests that some players did not agree to appear in the official album. Fans will therefore also have to do without a sticker of France superstar Kylian Mbappé. The association logos of four nations (Germany, England, France and Italy) have been replaced by national flags.

Austria is a very important market for us. We have noticed a great passion for collecting there. And after one day in stores, the feedback so far has been very good.

Eric Heger, Sales & Marketing Director DACH bei Topps

"There is a deadline for production, incredible quantities have to be printed. We try to have a consistent release date in all countries. That makes it difficult to have both a good product and the best team," explains Heger.

"Apart from the goalkeeper position, this would have been the squad we had on our radar three months ago. The DFB squad has changed dynamically again in recent weeks due to the sporting situation." The album is therefore likely to have been completed at the beginning of the year.

David Alaba in the new EM collector's album(Bild: Topps)

Austria: Sarkaria, Kalajdzic and Adamu included
From an Austrian point of view, no important ÖFB players are missing at first glance. Alaba, Arnautovic, Gregoritsch and Baumgartner have made it into the booklet - but also Sturm's Manprit Sarkaria, Wolverhampton's Saša Kalajdžić and Freiburg's Junior Adamu. "Austria is a very important market for us. We are seeing a great passion for collecting there. The marketing campaign with Gregoritsch was also very well received. After one day in stores, the feedback so far has been very good," says Heger. 

Play-off participants in mini format
There are also more nations in the album than have actually qualified for the tournament. At the time of going to press, it was not yet clear who would prevail in the play-offs at the end of March. Collectors can therefore also stick in pictures of Luxembourg, Israel and Wales. The pages and stickers of the play-off participants are smaller than the rest, which is why the Polish players, for example, are only available in mini format.

For the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, the rights are once again held by the Italian billion-dollar company Panini. For this year, fans will have to make do with minor inaccuracies. But that certainly doesn't detract from the fun of collecting.