2022 FIFA World Cup: Unpacking a shocking surprise

That shock struck when the 51st-ranked team defeated Argentina 2-1 early in the tournament. Argentina went on to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.

Even after that final has been completed, there are still some World Cup moments to be enjoyed, as that Virginia collector did. That World Cup fan didn’t just pull one of the Lionel Messi Extra Stickers by Panini earning hundreds on the resale market.

That patron of Strictly Soccer specialty shop in the Midlothian – Richmond, Virginia – area sought stickers to fill out his Panini 2022 FIFA World Cup Album. He tore open a pack that included a prized Messi sticker. But it wasn’t one of the rare ones marked Extra Sticker on the back.

This collectible was a 1-of-1. According to a release for Panini America, the piece carries an estimated worth of upwards of $10,000.

Of all the surprises in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a Midlothian, VA collector claims the top prize. The Panini America stamp collector got a shock!

Since before World Cup players took the pitch in Qatar, Panini sticker albums and related packs have been on sale everywhere from department stores to drug stores everywhere.

Each of the 32 participating teams got its own two-page spread throughout the album. Spaces for stickers depicting 18 of each team’s main players are provided. There are also team and logo stickers. That makes for 670 stickers, including 50 silver foil stickers.

The United States version of the collection includes limited-edition parallels of the non-oil stickers, for the first time ever.

World Cup fans have enjoyed this affordable, easily found-collecting option since the first edition in 1970.

The furore over Messi’s image in the collection came during what the player himself called his last World Cup appearance.

Once Argentina qualified for the final World Cup game, Messi announced his impending retirement – before lifting the trophy for the first time and just missing out on the Golden Boot despite two goals in the final,

This, his fifth World Cup, has been historic.

He broke the Argentina record with his third penalty of the tournament. His 25th appearance equaled a World Cup record, matching Lothar Matthaus of Germany – and his start in the final broke that same record.

Not only Messi supporters but World Cup fans everywhere, continue to invest fantastic levels of emotion toward this 2022 FIFA World Cup. It’s understandable that there would be an equally powerful letdown with the last seconds of stoppage time expiring.

Panini America still has supplies of stickers fans can call on to complete the 2022 FIFA World Cup album. While these supplies last in stores or by mail-order, fans can keep events from this tournament alive for a while longer.

There even might be some of those rare Messi stickers left!