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285: Morten Olsen, Denmark, Topps Match Attax Trading Card Game, England Collector Binder

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After the excitement of an expanded World Cup , several rounds of the League Cup and a transfer window that plumbed new depths of stupidity it’s almost a relief to be in the season’s first international break. That it’s taking place with a backdrop of a war of words between FIFA and UEFA, some actual wars and Gianni Infantino’s failed attempt to flog the World Cup to highest bidder vaguely related to his beau, Donald Trump, confirms that 2026 is very much still rumbling on. Such periods in football’s bloated calendar usually leave fans longing for their weekly dose of domestic misery and ineptitude but perhaps Andorra’s defeat to Malta in the opening fixture of the UEFA Nations League won over the remaining sceptics. For a whopping 27% of the countries at the recent World Cup there will be a new face in the dugout for this round of fixtures. Steve Clarke took Scotland to their first major tournaments in nearly thirty years but fell into the Del Amitri trap and the terrifyingly youthful...
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137: Paul Heald, Wimbledon, 1996 Pro Match Soccer

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Selhurst Park first opened its doors as the home of Crystal Palace in August 1924. Anyone who has had the pleasure of attending South London’s premier sporting venue will be aware that it is far from the modern Euro Bowl 3 template and, fittingly, only had one completed stand due to industrial action from the builders when 25,000 people witnessed the Glaziers lose 1-0 to The Wednesday in Division Two. Just two years later it hosted the national team in a 3-1 defeat to Wales, fittingly on St David’s Day, and, while the Three Lions have yet to return, international football was hosted there during the 1948 Summer Olympics. In more recent times it also served as the home of South London rivals Charlton Athletic between 1985 and 1991 as part of the Football League’s first ground sharing agreement. With The Addicks finally able to return to The Valley, via Upton Park, a similar agreement was struck with Wimbledon after Plough Lane was closed in line with the post-Hillsborough Taylor Repor...
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278: Nicolás Otamendi, Argentina, FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, Panini Official Licensed Sticker Album

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Rich Allinson explores some interesting inking among some of South America’s footballing talent while also allowing all England fans a bit of schadenfreude at the expense of a recent World Cup finalist. I am in no position to question anyone’s tattoo choices but have no shame in sticking the boot in on today’s subject who, had he not won an impressive 139 international caps, would be on the receiving end of a “let it go Nick, you’re never going to meet him” based on his tribute to his tax evading team mate. Over to Rich. I feel obliged to write this post after recently seeing a photo Nicolás Otamendi with tattoos of Lionel Messi all over his torso. This isn’t a post World Cup loss ‘bitter Englishman’ sentiment, more just a reflection of the fact that Otamendi’s ink is a rather strange thing to do. Let’s just imagine this move playing out in an office environment on a Monday morning… Leo: “Morning Nick, get up to much at the weekend?” Nick: “Yeah, I got a new tattoo as it happens.” Leo...
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18: Pat Jennings, Northern Ireland, Match 2000 Millennium Collection

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A new domestic season is upon us following the traditional curtain raiser of a Friday evening kick off in the Championship. With four weeks having passed since the end of the World Cup it’s probably a good thing that things are back up and running as Harry Kane and Declan Rice definitely looked a bit bored towards the end of proceedings and have no doubt really enjoyed their respective pre-season trips to China and Italy. The latter may get to get a few more miles on the clock in the more traditional season opener, the Community Shield, where Premier League champions Arsenal will take on FA Cup winners Manchester City. The game will take place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to really hammer home the early-2000s nostalgia of the Gunners winning the league and will provide a first opportunity for Enzo Maresca to prove he didn’t just get the City job because he looks a bit like Pep Guardiola.  The first major trophy ( as of 2025 ) up for grabs in the English season has been ...
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43: Chloe Kelly, England, Panini M&S Eat Well Play Well, Official England Sticker Collection 2026

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The recent FIFA World Cup brought everything one could want from a major international tournament and, despite the best efforts of Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump, was not a month long MAGA rally with a bit of Shakira thrown in for good measure. At the time of writing the President of the United States has not declared all out nuclear war on Belgium for taking the piss out of his bizarre little dance during their dismantling of the hosts in the knockout stages and this was one of a decent handful of feel good moments. Debutants Cape Verde went through the group stages and pushed Argentina all the way in the second round. The big stars all turned up with Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe , Harry Kane and the world’s favourite tax evader all among the goals. We got to see all of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Luis Suarez cry which was even more impressive considering the latter was only watching from the stands. England saved their best performance for the third place playoff while the fi...
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29: Anthony Gordon, England, Panini M&S Eat Well Play Well, Official England Sticker Collection 2026

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With the World Cup behind us Rich Allinson is here to muse about the future of English football following the most recent failure of the men’s team to bring it home. This blog’s WhatsApp group over the last few weeks is evidence that the world needs more of our excellent punditry. Five minutes before today’s subject briefly inspired a nation I told the lads that “Gordon has been awful. Getting closed down very quickly but doesn’t have a Scooby when it happens.” If anything England needed more defenders on the pitch. Over to Rich with some more insightful analysis. Now that the dust has started to settle on the rejected immigration visa applications, the hydration break drinks bottles and Donald Trump’s FIFA speed dial handset, my mind is already looking ahead to the next World Cup and whether England will, to use a modern phrase, finally get over the line. I caveat this with the hope that I am wrong, but it very much feels like 2026 could be the end of the road for England reaching the...
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58: Gary Walsh, Bradford City, Merlin’s F.A. Premier League 2000, Millennium Edition Sticker Collection

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The last time the World Cup was hosted in the United States the players had more to battle than their opponents and a nation with little love for the sport they call soccer. Temperatures soared during June and July, touching forty degrees for some games, which might provide some explanation for the likes of Roberto Baggio , Dan Petrescu and Diana Ross fluffing their lines from the penalty spot. For the Republic of Ireland team the heat even hit on the sidelines with John Aldridge famously getting hot and bothered and Steve Staunton donning a baseball cap to stave off the sun during the national anthems. No doubt this summer’s edition will see similar headwear on show owing to the winning combination of sweltering heat and the host’s penchant for using his own to remind him of what nonsense he’s going to spout. While baseball caps have become en vogue for everyone from roadmen to East London parents they have been an increasingly rare sight on the football pitch. In the early days, wh...
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