The World Cup kicked off in Qatar, and while you'll hear all manner of "Oles" and "Allezs" over the next four weeks, this might be the event's ultimate soundtrack: got, got, need. It's not the scalpers hawking tickets, it's the refrain of fans sifting through packs of World Cup stickers. Think soccer's answer to baseball cards.

Before the 1970 World Cup, four brothers in Italy, the Paninis, began printing collectables featuring images of players from every country in the competition. More than 50 years later, fans all over the globe scour for that obscure Serbian goalkeeper or elusive lionel messi – hoping to complete their albums. The Panini sticker phenomenon has become a booming, international business and a central part of the World Cup experience.