It seems like only yesterday Real Madrid master playmaker Kaka came roaring onto the international scene as a gifted, fresh-faced teen. Which is why you might be shocked to learn the Brazil star turned 31 earlier this week - time flies when you're being dazzled by nimble footwork and brilliant finishing, it turns out. To celebrate, here's the World Cup winner's top three career goals, as chosen by Icons. Feel differently? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter...

Argentina 0 Brazil 3, Friendly International, Emirates Stadium, 3 September 2006

Pace, power and precision - what more do you want from a goal in a hotly-contested South American derby? Kaka robs the ball from a young Leo Messi and surges past his opponents to cooly slot home, leaving the Argentine defence dumbfounded. Stunning. (Watch on YouTube)

Manchester United 3 AC Milan 2, Champions League semi-final first leg, Old Trafford, 24 April 2007

Five years ago this week, Kaka scored an unforgettable solo effort than will live on in memory as one of the greatest UEFA Champions League goals ever. Flicking the ball expertly past a bewildered Patrice Evra and Gabriel Heize, the Brazilian then places the ball in the net with the casual demeanour of someone strolling down to a newsagent on a Sunday morning. (Watch on YouTube)

Brazil 1 Croatia 0, World Cup 2006 group game, Berlin, 13 June 2006

Kaka wriggles free from defenders to unleash an unstoppable blast from range that picks up speed in the air, giving the Brazilians a crucial win in a difficult clash with Croatia. From the milisecond it leaves his boot to the moment it pings into the top corner of the net, pure class. (Watch on YouTube)

 

In the second in a series of guest blogs for Icons, Daniel Colasimone, editor of the excellent Argentina Football World, gets to the root of Argentina's Copa America failure. 

There was little improvement to be noted in Argentina’s second game against Colombia. I had bussed it up to the city of Santa Fe the previous day with my ‘Hand of Pod’ colleague Dan Edwards, not knowing whether we would be allowed into the game or not.

Even accredited journalists are required by tournament organisers to apply for tickets to each game, and we often do not find out whether we’re in or not until the day before – which has caused quite a lot of inconvenience for those of us travelling around for games. Being (relatively) young and (allegedly) reckless, we decided to risk it, and in on every occasion we have ended up with match tickets.    

The Selección once again lacked cohesion against a promising young Colombian team in the atmospheric stadium known as ‘The Elephant’s Graveyard’. Again, Messi probed, the strikers missed chances and Batista switched between his two stock formations. In the end, Argentina were lucky to escape with a 0-0 draw, with Colombia looking more likely to score in the second half.

Notably, the Santa Fe crowd, who had been so supportive to begin with, began to turn on their own team. Messi’s head dropped noticeably as he was well marshalled by the excellent Colombians, especially defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez.

The roadshow of mediocrity moved on to Cordoba, the blondest city in Argentina due to a high proportion of families with German blood. ‘Che’ Guevara spent most of his childhood there, and perhaps Batista was overwhelmed by a similar revolutionary zeal when he decided to drop Tevez, Lavezzi, Cambiasso and Banega for Agüero, Di Maria, Gago and Higuain and fully embrace the least worst of his two plans, the 4-2-1-3 attacking formation, for the must-win match against Costa Rica.

The renamed and revamped Mario Alberto Kempes stadium proved to be a booming stronghold, with the boisterous locals expressing their support for Argentina, and Messi especially. ‘Messi, we believe in you’ and ‘Messi: They talk a lot, but they know little’ were two of the banners displayed by fans, after the Barcelona man had once again unfairly been allotted much of the blame for Argentina’s shoddy performances so far by certain clueless factions of the local media.

And the little genius repaid the people of Cordoba in kind. He turned in an astounding performance, setting up a dozen gilt-edged goalscoring opportunities for his strikers. If they had not been so wasteful, the game could have finished 8-0. As it was, Argentina won by three clear goals, and qualified for the quarter finals.

Their inability to finish first in Group A meant that instead of staying in Cordoba for the quarter finals, Edwards and I had to roadtrip it back to Santa Fe where Argentina would take on fellow Copa America heavy hitters Uruguay. 

Tomorrow, the final part of Daniel's analysis will offer 5 simple reasons why Argentina failed. You can read Part One here.

 

In the first of a series of guest blogs for Icons, Daniel Colasimone, editor of the excellent Argentina Football World, gets to the root of Argentina's Copa America failure. 

Having travelled around to watch Argentina’s four games in this Copa America the recurring theme surrounding their insipid campaign seems to have been not so much the lack of a game plan but the lack of tactical flexibility required to discover an effective game plan.

Coach Sergio Batista, after a honeymoon period lasting several months, was on the receiving end of heavy criticism from the local press leading into the tournament. Some of it was justified.

Batista failed badly on the man-management side of things, especially regarding the Carlos Tevez affair. After insisting for months that Tevez was surplus to requirements, on the eve of the tournament, Batista did a complete about face and named the Manchester City forward in his squad. He even went so far as to select him in his starting line-up for the opening two games.

Hollow press conferences where he spoke without conveying any actual information and a penchant for posting kitschy pictures on Twitter further estranged Batista from the Argentine media. Going into the tournament, Batista's ideas for the national team did not seem too outrageous at all, at least in my mind. He spoke of exploiting Argentina's greatest asset, Lionel Messi, to his full potential.

He spoke of a Barcelona-style formation, designed to allow Messi to feel most comfortable and to take advantage of Argentina’s abundance of adept passing midfielders and skilful forwards. Batista’s ‘Plan B’, should the Barcelona-cloned 4-3-3 fail to function, would be to switch to a 4-2-1-3, with Messi as enganche (playmaker) behind three forwards. Well and good.

The Selección’s first match was against supposed whipping boys Bolivia in the shiny, roofed La Plata stadium. It’s a newly improved stadium, unique in Argentina that it is not rundown and exposed to the elements, but also in that it lacks much of the atmosphere of most grounds here.

Batista made his first tactical mistake before the match started by, as I’ve already mentioned, shoehorning the people’s choice, Carlos Tevez into the starting XI in place of Angel Di Maria, who had started on the left side of attack in recent friendlies. His midfield three was Javier Mascherano, Ever Banega and Esteban Cambiasso; all ‘number fives’ ostensibly – defensive midfielders with passing ability – with Messi in the ‘false 9’ role in the centre of the front three.

Cambiasso was curiously the midfielder usually found furthest forward, however, rather than the player expected to combine most with Messi, Banega. It didn’t work, and Argentina looked just as lacking in team fluidity as during last year’s World Cup.

Messi left defenders for dead but found nobody to link up with. Tevez went on solo runs that were easily halted by well-positioned defenders. There was no overriding thought pattern linking everything together.

At half time Batista switched to Plan B, bringing on Di Maria for Cambiasso, but Bolivia had scored within minutes of the restart. Argentina at least looked more dangerous, and eventually levelled through substitute Kun Agüero who volleyed in superbly. Bolivia, however, held on for the draw.

Perhaps Bolivia had come to this Copa America with a newfound resolve? Perhaps they would be the surprise packets of the tournament? We would find out in later group games that it was in fact a very limited Bolivian outfit, further damning Argentina’s performance in retrospect.

A post-match interview with one of the Argentine players may have taken the edge of the freezing polar winds that could be felt in all corners of the Estadio Único, but the mixed zone turned out to be an unregulated zoo. Short of crowd surfing my way to the front, there was no way of getting a word with Mascherano, Agüero and co. 

Stay tuned next week for Parts Two and Three of Daniel's assessment of Argentina's Copa America shambles...

 

We, like you, can't wait for the new season. The transfer window brings with it some modicum of excitement, but there are only so many "Xavi Loves Fabregas" headlines we can digest before we start pining for some footy.

But since it is the speculation season, we've decided to embrace the rumour mill. After all, it pays to know who you want to see Icons secure the signatures of, so we did a bit of our own scouting and found out which players have been linked with the top English clubs. Last week, we posted a poll on our Facebook page to find out who our followers would like to see gracing our shores come August. 

The results were interesting, but hardly surprising. The most in demand player amongst fans this summer is Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder. He's been linked with a big money move to Manchester United as a replacement for this week's Icons Legend of the Week, Paul Scholes.

Sir Alex Ferguson has since tried to distance himself from the reports, but we all know that means nothing. Don't be surprised if the Dutch midfielder is plying his trade at Old Trafford next season.

Here is the top ten:

1. Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan and Holland)

2. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid and Argentina)

3. Neymar Santos (Santos and Brazil)

4. Juan Mata (Valencia and Spain)

5. Eden Hazard (Lille and Belgium)

6. Radamel Falcao (Porto and Colombia)

7. Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid and Uruguay)

8. Sergio Canales (Real Madrid and Spain)

9. Kaká (Real Madrid and Brazil)

10. Javier Pastore (Palermo and Argentina)

Keep looking out for more polls and fun giveaways on our Facebook and Twitter feeds!

Last week, we loaded up the Icons van with classic shirts and photos (as well as the famous Icons backdrop) and took ourselves on a roadtrip to the Total Football Show at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire. Lilleshall Hall was formerly home to the FA Centre of Excellence, a conveyer belt of talent that churned out the likes of Jermain Defoe, Scott Parker, Michael Owen and Wes Brown and we loved watching the stars of tomorrow battle it out in the two day tournament.

We also took the opportunity to launch a competition. To compliment the Leo Messi boot we're giving away to coincide with the Copa America, we gave everyone in attendance the chance to win a beautiful football boot, signed by Kaka.

Upon our return to Icons HQ, we picked one name at random and are delighted to announce that Rob Ellis, of St Germaine FC in Harlow, is the lucky winner. Congratulations to Rob and for everyone else, keep your eyes peeled for further great giveaways from Icons. 

 

Not only is it a great time to be a fan of Spanish football, it's also bloody hard not to be. Having spent the best part of fifty years as perennial bottlers, the national side have established themselves as the best in the world, patenting their thrilling, incomparable brand of tiki-taka, to the delight of all and sundry.

The emergence of La Furia Roja has coincided with the dominance of Barcelona, who many commentators have described as the "greatest team ever." So taken with what they've seen emanating from the Iberian Peninsula, the English media have demanded that the FA do everything in their power to emulate what the Spanish have done at a grassroots level, but whether we'll ever see Englishman grace a field with such elegance is questionable. 

We at Icons have championed the Spanish game and the finest purveyors of it for many years. Given the current zeitgeist for Spanish memorabilia, we thought there would be no better way to kick off The Great Icons Summer Sale by slashing prices on some of our favourite pieces from some of our favourite Spanish or Spanish based players.

There can be little doubting the fact that La Liga plays host to the best players in the world. For the past four seasons, the top three players of the FIFA World Player of the Year either ply or have plied their trade in the Spanish top flight. Last year, the top three were all based in La Liga, a statistic reflected in the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or results. 

We're delighted to present discounted goods from many of those featured. We've got some beautiful, signed action photos of 2008's World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo (many going at half price) playing for Real Madrid.

From last year's Ballon D'Or runner up, Andres Iniesta, we've got a signed picture of his thrilling last minute winner for Barcelona against Chelsea in the Champions League a few years back (again, 50% off).

From the 2007 World Player of the Year Kaká, we have a fantastic signed and numbered Real Madrid shirt and signed boots. Alongside Kaká, Sergio 'Kun' Aguero has also established himself as one of the best foreign imports to La Liga and we've got a range of his shirts and goodies to give away at a big discount. 

But the Spanish revolution of the past five years isn't just about individual awards. Lest we forget, this is one of the only sides in history to win successive major international tournaments.

To mark their dominance, we've assembled a range of cut-price merchandise from some of the stars of their all-conquering squad, including a Real Madrid shirt signed by Iker Casillas, an amazing signed photo of Cesc Fabregas lifting the World Cup, signed photos of Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina in their pomp for both Spain and Liverpool and their erstwhile Merseyside teammate Fernando Torres, also in his Liverpool heyday. 

We'll be running the sale for a number of weeks, with a new theme every seven days. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a Spainophile, then, this is your chance to pick up some great stuff at a fraction of the retail price. 

It wouldn't be summer without an international tournament and after the relative let down that was the 2010 World Cup, the lense is coming into focus over the continent of South America. The Copa America 2011 is almost here and it promises to be one of the best in living memory.

In the run up to Friday's kick off, we're going to be giving you a daily dose of previews, providing team by team guides. We'll be offering tips and suggestions as to who to watch out for and telling you who we think the Icons of Copa America 2011 are going to be. Today, we start with Group A.

Argentina

 

The history: Alongside Uruguay, Argentina are the most successful team in Copa America history with 14 wins. Their last victory, though, was Ecuador '93 when a side inspired by all time greats Batistuta and Redondo defeated Mexico in the final. Defeated finalists last time out, La Albiceleste will be hoping substance trumps style on the big stage, having flattered to deceive in major tournaments of late.

The star players: Where to start with this current crop? The conveyer belt of Argentinian playmakers has been in overdrive of late... you can take your pick from Icons' own Leo Messi and Kun Aguero (above), Carlos Tevez and Angel Di Maria,  Diego Milito and Javier Pastore.

One to watch: Ever Banega has been pulling up trees in La Liga with Valencia this season. This is a chance for the classy midfielder to make his mark on the international stage.

Impress your mates:The great Fernando Redondo missed Argentina's 1998 finals campaign because he refused to obey coach Daniel Passarella's instructions to cut his hair.

Colombia

 

The history: The Colombians have a surprisingly poor record in the Copa America, despite churning out some of the continent's finest exports over the years. Their sole victory came on home soil in 2001, when they beat Mexico 1-0 in the final. Perhaps one of their most notorious contributions to the tournament's history was when eccentric, goalscoring 'keeper Jorge Campos threw a hilarious hissy fit after scoring an own goal against Venezuela in 1995.

The star players: Since the appointment of Andre Villas Boas as Chelsea boss, Radamel Falcao (above) of Porto has been strongly linked with the London club. Alongside Brazilian Hulk, he has been prolific in front of goal over the past season, firing a record 18 goals in the Europa League.

One to watch: Premier League fans will be interested to see how Wigan's Hugo Rodallega cuts it on the international stage, whilst there has been some clamour for the signature of Udinese defender Cristian Zapata over recent weeks.

Impress your mates: Colombia were involved in the highest scoring draw in World Cup history: a 4-4 tie with the Soviet Union way back in 1962.

Bolivia

 

The history: Bolivia are traditionally one of the weakest of the South American nations and are currently on an unenviable run of not winning a game since 1997. They have, however, lifted the trophy - way back in 1963 and it's no coincidence that their best performances have been on the extreme altitude of home soil. 

The star players: The majority of the Bolivian players ply their trade within the country, meaning outside South America they are something of an unknown quantity. Again, fans of Wigan may recognise the striker Marcelo Martins (above), who played on loan for them last season. Bolivia's highest profile player, he's been on the books of Shakhtar Donetsk since 2008 without really making a breakthrough.

One to watch: As one of the youngest players of the tournament, it might be worth keeping your eye on Juan Carlos Arce.

Impress your mates: In 2007, a physiotherapist admitted prescribing Viagra to the Bolivian national team to help them play at high altitude in the capital of La Paz.

Costa Rica

 

The history: Costa Rica are taking part in their fourth Copa America, having been invited to replace Japan following the earthquake and tsunami tragedies earlier this year. Despite being outsiders, their record is respectable and the Central Americans have twice been quarter finalists.

The star players: ... are all at home. Having competed in the Gold Cup earlier this summer, the squad taken by Ricardo La Volpe is young and experimental, with no household names. Randall Brenes (pictured) is the squad's top scorer with four international goals, but this should be a learning curve for all involved.

One to watch: Take your pick. There are nine uncapped players in the squad and only three have reached double figures for appearances. 

Impress your mates: The worst turnout for a Football World Cup qualifier was recorded in Costa Rica in 2006, when no one at all turned up to watch Costa Rica play Panama in a CONCACAF qualifier.

Don't forget to visit tomorrow to get your Group B Preview. Also, check out our fantastic range of Copa America merchandise, featuring Maradona, Messi, Kaka, Aguero, Suarez and Passarella.

Kaká is truly one of the greats of the modern game. He was FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and was involved in the second biggest transfer of all-time when he moved from Italian giants AC Milan to Real Madrid last summer as the first of the new wave of Galaticos.

Kaká wears the coveted Brazil number 10 shirt, following in the footsteps of such legends as Pele and Zico. His is the main creative force for the national team who go into this summer's World Cup as joint favourites and the number one team in the world. He's played in two World Cups before and we've got signed photos of him scoring his only World Cup goal against Croatia in 2006.

For AC Milan he won Serie A and memorably won the Champions League in 2007 gained some revenge over Liverpool after they defeated his team in the classic Istanbul final two years earlier. It was in that season and with AC that he was officially declared the world's best player by FIFA.

This summer he moved from AC Milan to Real Madrid for £56m as the first Galatico of the second Perez era. Not only do we have Kaka signed Real shirts but we also have dual signed Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka shirts -  a truly unique piece of memorabilia for any collector.

Kaka is already a legend and this summer at icons we're all looking forward to seeing him parade his unique skills on the biggest stage of all.

Four out of five isn't bad... Just Xavi left to sign for icons from the FIFA World Player of the Year top 5. Xavi, if you're reading - 0207 267 0151...

Cristiano Ronaldosigned Real Madrid shirts must be the most sought after piece of football memorabilia in the world. Icons.com have done numerous signings with Cristiano in the past so we were really excited to meet up with him in Madrid this weekend and have him sign Real Madrid home and away shirts, a selection of action photos, two differnt colours of his famous Nike Vapour boots and some Portugal shirts.

Ronaldo only signs for icons.com and we've worked with the current FIFA World Player of the Year for over five years now, going back to when he was establishing himself in the Manchester United team. The full range of Real Madrid products will be on the site tomorrow, but we still have a small amount of shirts and photos left from his last signing with us in February this year where he signed a number of Manchester United products for us.

He was looking fit and well and we hope he'll be back in the Real Madrid line up in time for 'El Clasico', the game everyone in world football is looking forward too this weekend when the Champions League winners Barcelona take on Real Madrid's new generation of Galacticos. Who will come out on top in the contest between Cristiano and Lionel Messi, hotly tipped to supplant Ronaldo as officially the best player in world football when the FIFA award is announced in early December?

We're just happy to have both amazing players available on the icons.com site. We can honestly say our memorabilia is defintely signed by the world's best.