The decades-old football book craze will comprise 980 unique stickers, including 68 ‘special’ ones in a 112-page album. For generations of football fans, no World Cup would be complete without the thrill of opening a packet of Panini stickers and discovering Zico, Franz Beckenbauer, Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi staring back. Since Italian company Panini’s first sticker collection at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, trying, and usually failing, to complete the set has been an obsession for young fans around the globe, with playground swapping mandatory. This year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will present the biggest challenge yet, though, and will require a considerable amount of pocket money. With 48 nations heading for the tournament in June and July – the largest edition ever – 980 unique stickers, including 68 “special” ones, will be required to fill the 112-page album that will be available from Thursday.…