As the start of FIFA World Cup looms, Panini sticker trading becomes an obsession for some
With the FIFA World Cup set to kick off shortly, Panini sticker trading has become all the rage in New York City.
CBS News New York's Luis Miguel Echegaray went on Thursday to Rockefeller Center, where the decals of a lot of soccer stars were being swapped.
The mission is simple: fill the album
The name of the game for those in attendance was trying to get as many of the 980 total stickers to fill their album.
"I only need 15 stickers, 15, but it gets difficult for you to find that much after a while. So I have to exchange with my friends," said Rodrigo Costa, who was visiting from Brazil.
Many people like Costa said they have been doing the sticker album tradition all their lives.
"Since I was little. Yeah, it's an amazing tradition. It is. It is. And I have two kids. They are 3 years old, but I pretend it's for them, but it's actually for me," Costa said.
For others, this World Cup marks the first time taking part in the Panini sticker mania.
"I'm really excited, yeah, yes sir," said Hank Johnson of Georgia. "I got the, like, multipack FIFA World Cup and the album."
Collecting and buying stickers of players who will take part in the biggest tournament of the most popular has a stranger effect on people.
"I can't wait for the World Cup," Johnson said.
It's a tradition like no other.
Eli Manning trades with an Italian legend
New York Giants Super Bowl champions Eli Manning and Shaun O'Hara were on hand and exchanged stickers with Alessandro Nesta, a center back on Italy's World Cup-winning side in 2006.
For Manning, the tournament in the U.S. represents an exciting moment.
"For me, I think it's to see the fandom and seeing these countries representing coming here, seeing these fans singing the songs and waving the flags," Manning said.
As they swapped stickers for their albums, Nesta, who is renowned as one of the best defenders in the history of the game, was asked to his pick who he thinks will be the player of the tournament.
"Yamal, Lamine Yamal. For me, he's the best after Messi," Nesta said, referring to Spain's star right winger.
