Panini has added Armando “Hormiga” González to Mexico’s World Cup 2026 update set, giving collectors a chance to find the Chivas forward after he was left out of the original album. The 23-year-old will now appear in the official collection even though he was not among the first players included.
The move lands just as interest in Mexico’s final World Cup roster is still fresh, with fans tracking which names made the cut and which ones were added later. González, a forward for Chivas, earned his place after his performances in the two most recent Liga MX tournaments, and he is now part of Javier Aguirre’s final list for Mexico.
That makes him one of the more visible late additions in Panini’s World Cup rollout. Raúl Jiménez is expected to arrive at the tournament as the starting center forward, but González’s inclusion in the update set gives him an official place in the album after his omission from the first version had already stood out to Mexico supporters and sticker collectors.
Panini confirmed the change in its own promotional language, saying, “¡El 'Otaku del Gol' ha completado su jutsu de invocación! Armando 'La Hormiga' González desbloquea su camino ninja y se une oficialmente a la Selección Mexicana en la colección de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026.” The company also said there is no exact sale date yet for the update sets, leaving collectors waiting for the next announcement.
González is not the only new name in the batch. Panini said Neymar will also be included after being one of the last players to make Carlo Ancelotti’s final list, and Álvaro Fidalgo will join the update set as well. Fidalgo debuted for Mexico in March in friendlies against Portugal and Belgium, and Panini said his sticker will arrive soon, urging fans to watch its social channels for details on how to get it.
The update set exists to fill gaps left by the first album selection, and González’s case shows how that process can reshape what fans actually see in the collection. Panini’s agreement with FIFA runs through the 2030 World Cup, so this round of additions is part of a larger run that still has more tournaments ahead — but for now, the immediate question is simpler: when the update sets finally go on sale, which missing names will collectors try to track down first?
