The season was won by Juventus, who finished the campaign with a total of 91 points, seven ahead of second-placed Milan. Juventus dominated throughout the season, only conceding just 27 goals in total, the lowest in the league.
At the bottom of the table, three teams were relegated to Serie B: Bologna, Atalanta and Bresica.
Panini Calciatori 2004-2005 is a monster set, holding 883 stickers! Luckily I am here to save you the work of going through them all! Let’s get into the top 10.
10 – Gianluigi Buffon – #173 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Calciatori 1995/96
Gianluigi Buffon is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Buffon’s playing style was characterised by his agility, quick reflexes, and exceptional shot-stopping abilities. He was also known for his excellent command of the box, good decision-making skills, and excellent distribution.
In addition to his shot-stopping abilities, Buffon was also an excellent communicator and leader on the pitch. He was known for his ability to organise his defence and was respected by his teammates for his leadership qualities.
In the 2004/05 season with Juventus, Buffon was at the peak of his powers. He played a crucial role in helping the team win the Serie A title, conceding only 27 goals in the league. Buffon’s performances that season were crucial in helping Juventus maintain a strong defensive record and secure the Scudetto.
In the conversation for the greatest ever goal keeper, all Buffon’s stickers are recommended by SSFC!
9 – Giorgio Chiellini – #126 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Calciatori 2003/04
Chiellini’s physical presence was also a major asset for Fiorentina. He is 6’3″ tall and has a muscular build, which made him a formidable opponent for opposing strikers. He was particularly adept at winning aerial duels and was also known for his strength and toughness in one-on-one situations.
During the 2004/05 season, Chiellini played for Fiorentina, on loan from Juventus, where he recently signed. He was only 20 years old at the time, but he already had a reputation as a tough and uncompromising defender. His playing style was characterised by his excellent reading of the game, his anticipation, and his ability to make crucial tackles and interceptions.
Despite being young and relatively inexperienced, Chiellini quickly established himself as a key player for Fiorentina. He made 37 league appearances. The following season he was involved with Juventus’ first team and would go on to be a club legend, playing in a remarkable 17 seasons!
Technically his second year sticker, but his first full portrait sticker in the Serie A. A huge player for Juventus, I recommend picking up this cool sticker.
8 – Alessandro Del Piero – #189 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Calciatori 1992/93
Alessandro Del Piero, one of the most popular players in Italian football history, was known for his technical skills, vision, and finishing ability, as well as his leadership qualities. Del Piero was a versatile player who was capable of playing as a central striker, a winger, or an attacking midfielder.
Del Piero’s playing style was characterised by his exceptional ball control, dribbling skills, and ability to score from long range. He was also an excellent passer of the ball, with the vision and creativity to unlock even the most stubborn defences. His finishing ability was second to none, as he was equally comfortable scoring with both feet and his head. Additionally, he was deadly on set pieces, scoring numerous goals from all over the pitch.
During the 2004/05 season with Juventus, Del Piero was already an established star and a key player for the team. He scored a total of 14 goals in 30 appearances in the league, helping Juventus win the Serie A title.
Probably the most collected player in Italy, Del Piero is a true icon! I recommend not only this sticker, but all Del Piero stickers you can find!
Watch his iconic goal against Germany in the 2006 World Cup.
7 – Alberto Gilardino – #359 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Calciatori 2000/01
Gilardino was known for his excellent finishing ability, particularly with his head. He had a great sense of positioning inside the box, which allowed him to get on the end of crosses and make runs in behind defenders. He was also a tireless worker, and would often track back to help defend when his team didn’t have possession.
During the 2004/05 season with Parma, Gilardino was in top form and was one of the most lethal strikers in the Italian league. He scored a total of 23 goals for the second season in a row, coming 2nd in the top scorers charts.
Gilardino’s performances that season were instrumental in helping Parma survive the Serie A table, with the team finishing 1 place above relegation.
For his great season, Gilardino has entered the top 10!
6 – Gianfranco Zola – #95 – Final Sticker of Career – Rookie Sticker from Panini Calciatori 1989/90
Gianfranco Zola was known for his technical skill, agility, vision, and creativity on the field. Zola played as an attacking midfielder or forward during his career.
Zola’s dribbling ability was exceptional, and he often dazzled defenders with his quick feet and close control. He was also a master of the free-kick, with an accurate shot that often found the back of the net. His passing was precise and incisive, with a keen eye for through-balls that could unlock even the tightest defences.
In the 2004/05 season with Cagliari, the final of his career, Zola managed to make an impact. He scored 9 goals in 31 appearances, helping Cagliari to a respectable 12th place in the Serie A.
Zola has had an incredible career, most noted for his time at Chelsea, where he earned English Hall of Fame status!
The final sticker of a career traditionally holds very low value. In any case, I like to collect the final stickers to remember a great career. Zola definitely fits the bill for great careers!
5 – Ricardo Kaka – #304 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Campeonato Brasileiro 2002
Kaka was known for his speed, technical ability, and creativity on the ball. Kaka had excellent dribbling skills and was capable of producing moments of magic with his exceptional vision and ability to pick out passes.
In the 2004/05 season with Milan, Kaka was a key player for the team as they came runners up in the Serie A. He scored 7 goals and provided 13 assists in 31 league appearances, demonstrating his effectiveness in both scoring and creating chances for his teammates.
Kaka had agility, quick feet, and exceptional close control of the ball. He was often able to take on multiple defenders at once, using a variety of dribbling moves to create space and time for himself. Kaka was also known for his intelligence on the pitch, always finding the right spaces to exploit and the right passes to make.
In 2007, Kaka was the best player in the world, winning the 2007 ballon d’or. In his 6 seasons at Milan, he established himself as a club legend. He left Milan for Real Madrid in 2009, but injuries hampered his progress and he never really matched his AC Milan levels.
Hugely popular, all Kaka stickers are highly chased in the hobby. This, his second sticker with Milan, is a must have!
4 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic – #190 – Rookie Sticker from Panini Fotboll. Allsvenskan 2000 (Swedish League Set)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s playing style is characterised by his height, strength, and technical ability. He is known for his exceptional ball control and dribbling skills, which allow him to create space for himself and his teammates. His physical presence also makes him a dominant force in the air, where he can win headers and score goals with his head.
In the 2004/05 season with Juventus, his first with the club, Ibrahimovic scored 16 goals in 35 league appearances, helping the team win the Serie A title. Ibrahimovic’s ability to hold up the ball and bring others into play was a key factor in their success that season.
He would only go onto to stay at Juve for 1 more season but has gone on to be one of the all-time greats! The list of illustrious clubs he has won silverware includes: Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United.
Zlatan is immensely popular around the world and is still scoring goals for AC Milan at the ripe age of 41!
This is a relatively early sticker relative to the length of his career. I think all Zlatan products should be picked up for people’s collections; in. a few years, they won’t come cheap.
3 – Diego Milito – #564 – Rookie Sticker from DS Futbol Argentina 2001
Diego Milito was known for his incredible ability to score goals with both his feet and his head. Throughout his career, he was a consistent goal scorer, and his lethal finishing ability made him a formidable opponent for defenders.
Milito’s had excellent technique, intelligent movement, and clinical finishing. He had a great sense of positioning and often made intelligent runs behind the opposition’s defence to get into scoring positions. His awareness of space and ability to read the game made him a danger to any defenxe.
In his 2004/05 season with Genoa, Milito was the club’s top scorer with 21 goals in 39 appearances.
Genoa technically had enough points for the Serie B title, but they were punished for match-fixing and were relegated from the Serie B.
Milito moved onto Real Zaragoza, where he continued to bag goals, before returning to Genoa in 2008. He went on to score 24 goals in the Serie A for Genoa.
Milito’s performances earned him a move to Italian giants Internazionale late in his career, where he continued to excel and become a key player for the team, scoring twice in Inter’s UCL final triumph. Watch his second goal here.
I think Milito has been severely underrated in his career and is one of my favourite strikers!
Diego Milito’s career in stickers.
2 – Samir Handanovic Rookie Sticker – #480
Samir Handanovic is known for his excellent reflexes, shot-stopping ability, and his strong command of the penalty area.
One of the key strengths of Handanovic’s playing style is his positioning. He is always well-positioned to make saves, often anticipating where the ball will go before the shot is even taken. This allows him to make saves that other goalkeepers might not be able to.
In addition to his positioning, Handanovic is also a very quick and agile goalkeeper. He has great reflexes and can react quickly to shots that are taken from close range. This allows him to make saves that many other goalkeepers would be unable to make.
In the 2004/05 season, Handanovic only featured 3 times for Udinese in the league. After 6 seasons, he moved onto Inter, where he became a world renowned goalkeeper.
As of writing, he has spent 11 seasons at Inter and is their captain. He service was rewarded in the 2020/21 season, where he got his first Serie A title with the club.
As for goalkeepers in the modern era, not many rookie stickers are bigger than this one! A true legend of the game and of Italian football.
1 – Fabio Quagliarella Rookie Sticker – #625
Fabio Quagliarella is the best rookie sticker in Panini Calciatori 2004-2005.
Fabio Quagliarella spent his whole career in Italy, a career that has spanned over two decades and has established himself as one of the most consistent and clinical strikers in the Italian Serie A.
Quagliarella is known for his intelligent movement, his excellent first touch, and his incredible shooting ability. He is equally adept at scoring goals with either foot or his head.
One of the standout features of Quagliarella’s playing style is his movement off the ball. He has a knack for finding space in the box and making intelligent runs to get into scoring positions. Once in front of goal, he is clinical and has an excellent shot accuracy.
In the 2004/05 season, Quagliarella was playing for Torino in Serie B. He was a key player for the team that season, making 36 appearances and scoring 8 goals. Despite being young at the time, Quagliarella was already showing signs of his incredible talent and potential.
Interestingly, Torino came second and in place for promotion, but their promotion was rejected because of financial issues.
Quagliarella has played for big teams in Italy such as Udinese, Napoli, Juventus and has established himself as a club legend for Sampdoria.
I think the Italian international is a rookie sticker worth picking up. A striker with immense quality know for his spectacular goals.
Summary
Overall, this set didn’t hold many rookie stickers but definitely still has loads of great stickers! I think the 3 rookies listed are strong ones. Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks!
