STRUGGLING to fill your Panini World Cup sticker album?

You're not the only one. 

A Cardiff maths professor calculated that filling this year’s World Cup sticker book would cost collectors £773.60 and reckons you would need to buy 967 packets or 4,832 stickers to get the set.

As the start of the tournament creeps closer, we've asked some of the sticker book 'experts' in our office for some top tips as well as scouring the internet for collectors' advice. 

1. Get your mates to help you out

Filling a football sticker book was so much easier when you had six uni housemates to swap with or a whole class at school. 

Get your friends and family involved so you've got more chance of bagging that elusive shiny. 

2. Join a Facebook swap group

If your friends aren't fans, social media has made 'Got, got, need' so much easier.

A quick search results in a number of groups with members posting what they've got and what they need. 

3. Buy bulk

It may not be as much fun but if filling your book is your end goal, collectors recommend buying boxes of stickers instead of packets. 

A box of 500 stickers costs £80 but the general theory is you won't end up with as many stickers to swap. 

4. When you're nearly there...

The back page of your book will tell you how to order up to 50 stickers for when you're nearly there and just missing that final Costa Rican striker to complete your set. 

Have you ever completed a football sticker album? Share your tips below