The Top 10 – Panini German Football Bundesliga 2007/2008

Next we have Borussia Dortmund legend, Łukasz Piszczek. He amassed 264 appearances for BVB, while also representing Hertha Berlin (As pictured to the right). He was a reliable right sided fullback renowned for his stamina and work-rate. This saw him feature heavy for Jürgen Klopp in his successful years at Dortmund with his gengenpress tactics. Piszczek was capped 66 times for Poland.  

Pictured is his rookie sticker.

Also a key member in Klopp’s Dortmund, Jakub Błaszczykowski ranks in at 8. Mostly deployed as a right winger, Błaszczykowski’s speed and work rate was tailor-made for the gengenpress. Jakub played for BVB 197 times and amassed a huge 108 caps for Poland. In years 2008 and 2010, he won the Polish player of the year. I think this is a must have collectors item for Polish collectors!

Pictured is his rookie sticker.

A huge player for Croatia, Ivan Rakitić. He has had an amazing career, playing for the likes of: FC Basel, Schalke, Sevilla and Barcelona! Here pictured is one of his two rookie stickers. Prior to Schalke, he played for FC Basel for 2 seasons. Unfortunately there were no stickers for Switzerland during these years. Rakitić is an attacking playmaker with a deadly long shot. With 200 matches for Barcelona and 106 caps for Croatia, Rakitić will go down as one of the greats!

Here we have the second entry for Ivan Rakitić. This is his portrait rookie sticker. The prior was the Schalke insert sticker. I personally prefer portraits and that is why I have ranked this sticker in number 6.

Sami Khedira is a huge player and here is his rookie sticker. He has played for the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus. He is a Champions League, and World Cup winner! Pictured here in his Stuttgart kit where he began his career before moving on to Real Madrid. Sami is a true box to box midfielder who was always a chance of popping up with a goal. More importantly, he was fantastic at breaking up the play to start counter attacks. Khedira was a no nonsense type player who never tried to be fancy. He played the simple pass and kept the ball moving. Unfortunately towards the end of his career he suffered many injuries and is now retired.
In my opinion, his rookie sticker is a must have for any serious collector!

Yes, it is unusual seeing him with normal hair! One of the all-time Chilean greats! Arturo Vidal has been of the great box to box midfielders! He has everything in his locker and in his prime was really a complete midfielder. It seems Vidal only plays for big teams, including: Colo-Colo, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Bayern Munich Barcelona, Inter Milan and Flamengo. Racking up a monstrous 134 caps for Chile, Vidal has been one of the leading players in the modern era. This rookie sticker, I think, should be part of every collection and is a non-negotiable for Chileans. 

The Bosnian hitman has been one of the star strikers of the modern era. He has scored goals everywhere he’s been, and he’s going strong at the age of 36. He gained instant popularity at Wolfsburg hitting the ground running. He was pivotal in Wolfsburg’s surprise Bundesliga title, striking up an impressive partnership with Grafite. Not long after he moved to Manchester City and scored 50 goals for the citizens. Most people would recognise Edin from his time at Roma. He was a goal machine in the Serie A and he scored 85 goals for Roma. Winding down towards the end of his Career he earned a move to champions Inter Milan and he still plays there. The Bosnian captain has left his mark on European football and I expect his rookie sticker to be of considerable value in future years.

Mesut is one of the biggest names in football. The World Cup winner is renowned for his incredible technique and vision. He is one of the best ever number 10’s and he has the assists to back up that claim. One of the last true 10’s in the modern game, with the position slowly dying out for more physical and dynamic option. But as we know in football, tactics occur in cycles and the 10 will be back. Özil effortless style has gained critics throughout the years. With those claiming he is lazy or a 1-way player. There may be an argument for this, but I would argue that Mesut thrives in the right tactical system. It is not often a player as skilful as Mesut comes around. He is truly a generational talent. Yes, he can be frustrating, but he’s also a genius who can do and see things others dream of. Personally, I am a very big fan of number 10’s so, naturally, I have a soft spot for Mesut. Include him with the likes of Valéron, Riquleme, and Bergkamp. Technically gifted p10’s who have left a positive mark on the game.

I think Mesut’s rookie sticker is a safe investment. He is one of the most followed personalities in the game, a sensational footballer and with his charity work, could go on to do big things outside of football.