Eli Manning, soccer groupie? Giants legend boosts World Cup fandom and predicts long shot to take trophy: You justneed amagic play
Even a soccer legend can be a merch-collecting fanboy.Former Italian defender Alessandro Nesta has amassed coveted Panini stickers celebrating FIFA soccer stars since before he first saw himself on one — at age 17.“For my whole life, I collected Panini stickers and said to myself, ‘One day I want to be on one,’ and then it was there, and my family’s dream came true,” Nesta said at a Panini event tied to the World Cup at Rockefeller Center on Thursday. The brand is once again pumping up the premier global tournament as it descends on the Big Apple and other cities this week, bringing together the most fanatic soccer fans and sticker collectors — including World Cup champ Nesta. The 50-year-old ex-baller converged on Midtown, along with former New York Giants Eli Manning and Shaun O’Hara, to promote a two-week Panini fan experience to fire up the most fervent of traders.The trio of pros briefly took over the Rock Center ticket booth at 33 W.50th St., where fans will be able to buy sticker packs and albums honoring the 48 World Cup teams, boasting the largest album ever with 980 player stickers. Merchandise from the sports and collectibles company — the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of FIFA, releasing its first World Cup collection in 1970 — will be available to fervent fans from Saturday, June 6, through July 19.Manning, O’Hara and Nesta playfully bartered between themselves for the most desired cards they could find, but it was clear that at least one of the pro athletes wasn’t the most dedicated soccer aficionado.As wide-eyed, seemingly oblivious Manning shuffled through dozens of cards alongside O’Hara and Nesta, he seemed more impressed by their colorful presentation than by their star power.“I like the blue-border one,” he remarked at one point, before being told he should trade for one of 18-year-old Spanish player Lamine Yamal, who is expected to be Spain’s star player in the World Cup. Nesta informed Manning th...