Monthly archives: December, 2013

Highlights Of Our 2013 (Feat. Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Mourinho & More)

It’s been a busy year for Icons, full of signings with the biggest names in world football. Don’t believe us? Just check out some of the video highlights from our 2013 then click to view the amazing autographed memorabilia on sale from each player below.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo signed shirts, photos, posters, boots, balls and more for Icons in a signing session in Madrid in May. After a jawdropping year at the Bernabeu, CR7 is now favourite for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award in January.

Leo Messi

Leo Messi met with Icons several times throughout 2013, a year that has seen him flourish further into his reputation as one of the best players of all time, despite recently being sidelined by injury. You can pick up signed posters, Barcelona and Argentina shirts, boots and photos now.

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is back at the Bridge and – no surprise here – in the thick of it as the Premier League title race heats up. Get signed memorabilia from the Chelsea mastermind today.


Diego Maradona

Icons travelled to Dubai to meet with the legendary Diego Maradona for a signing session at the master Argentine’s home in May. Click here to buy incredible signed memorabilia from the World Cup icon.

Philippe Coutinho

Brazilian marvel Coutinho has enjoyed a stellar year at the heart of the Liverpool midfield, overseeing their transformation into title contenders in 2013-14. Icons met with the superstar in the making in September, when he signed shirts, boots and photos available to buy now.

That’s not all – we also met with Gareth Bale and welcomed new Icons including Luis Figo, Gianluigi Buffon, Nemanja Vidic, Javier Hernandez, Eusebio and more. Keep up to date with our latest signings by visiting our Facebook page – don’t miss out.

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Introducing Our Official FIFA World Cup™ Range!

The draw is done, the stage is set – the 2014 World Cup is now just around the corner, with a mere 184 days between now and kick off. As anticipation mounts, Icons are proud to announce the launch of our official licensed FIFA World Cup™ Collection featuring signed memorabilia from the tournament’s most brilliant entertainers past and present.

World-Cup-Range

From Diego Maradona and Pele to Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi, sports fans can now mark what promises to be a tournament to remember, hosted by the spiritual home of football, with authentic autographed shirts, photos, boots and more from the World Cup’s biggest ever superstars. Each product comes in special gold-lined framing designed to evoke the gold of the coveted World Cup trophy, making for Icons’ classiest collection yet.
Can Messi add to his trophy the cabinet the one prize that has so far eluded him, a World Cup winner’s medal? Are Cristiano’s formidable talents enough to carry a Portugal side that struggled through qualification out of the group stage? With Wayne Rooney at his peak, can the Manchester United man put the disappointment of previous World Cup campaigns behind him? With this tournament set to be Andrea Pirlo’s last, can he bow out in style with a winner’s medal? So many questions hang over the impending tournament but one thing’s for sure – there’s simply no better way to celebrate the greatest event in world sport than Icons’ official FIFA World Cup™ collection.
Look out for new additions to the collection in the coming months as the tournament nears – we’ll be adding exclusive new players and products. Stay tuned. In the meantime, click here to check out the first part of the collection – our World Cup legends range.
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Why We Love The Race For This Year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or, The Closest Ever

No matter who eventually wins the FIFA Ballon d’Or award this January, one thing’s for sure – this year’s player of the year award will surely be remembered as the hardest ever to call. Each of the three players named in an announcement yesterday as up for the prestigious award – Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery – can reflect on incredible years and nigh-impossible feats for their respective clubs. But who will win?

(FILE PHOTO) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Franck Ribery (L), Lionel Messi (C) and Cristiano Ronaldo (R). All three players have been short listed for the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013, the winner of the award will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon dOr gala in Zurich on January 13, 2014. ***LEFT IMAGE*** AUGUST 01: Franck Ribery of Muenchen controls the ball during the Audi Cup Final match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Manchester City at Allianz Arena on August 1, 2013 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) ***CENTRE IMAGE*** NOVEMBER 01: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol at Camp Nou on November 1, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** SEPTEMBER 28: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF runs with the ball during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at Bernabeu on September 28, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

(FILE PHOTO) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Franck Ribery (L), Lionel Messi (C) and Cristiano Ronaldo (R). All three players have been short listed for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2013, the winner of the award will be revealed at the FIFA Ballon dOr gala in Zurich on January 13, 2014. ***LEFT IMAGE*** AUGUST 01: Franck Ribery of Muenchen controls the ball during the Audi Cup Final match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Manchester City at Allianz Arena on August 1, 2013 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images) ***CENTRE IMAGE*** NOVEMBER 01: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol at Camp Nou on November 1, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** SEPTEMBER 28: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF runs with the ball during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at Bernabeu on September 28, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barcelona superstar Leo Messi spent the first half of 2013 reclaiming the La Liga title back from Real Madrid‘s grip. The second half he spent establishing a dominant lead at the top of the Spanish league for the Catalan giants, with the club presently only one point away from their best start to a campaign ever. It says a lot about the calibre of player Messi is that, owing to a hamstring complaint that has persisted since the end of the last season, cutting the Argentine’s game time down significantly, pundits are describing him as “only” having scored 46 goals in 2013 – a number “disappointing” only by his unfathomably high standards, forged by his feats in 2012, a year where he scored a record breaking 91 goals. By any other standards, his achievements in 2013 are stunning.

Cristiano Ronaldo meanwhile can reflect on a year easily summed up in one match. Last month’s Portgual vs Sweden second leg qualifier showed the Madrid maestro as the unplayable player he has become in 2013 – a player able to take a game by the scruff of the neck and power through defences to an almost single-handed win. In 48 appearances to date this year for Madrid, he has made a combined 78 goals and assists, striking up a winner partnership with new team mate Gareth Bale. A curious stat that’s telling sign of his current brilliance – following his goalscoring feats in 2013, CR7 has now scored in every minute apart from the 47th. Should be grab a goal in the 47th minute of any match before he retires now, he’ll become the first player in history to score in every single minute of the 90.

Franck Ribery is the race’s dark horse but not to be dismissed. Winning the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich, starring against Borussia Dortmund in a captivating final, undoubtedly promoted him into the pantheon of current superstars of the game, alongside Messi and Ronaldo. Bayern have emerged in 2013 as the game’s current dominant domestic force, breaking countless records in the Bundesliga and sweeping aside competition in Europe. Ribery, with his nimble footwork and direct play, is to be heavily credited with that. Some pundits predict that, with Messi and Ronaldo having won the trophy already, those in charge of deciding the Ballon d’Or winner may want to give the prize to new blood. We’ll find out for certain in January. In the meantime, be sure to check out signed memorabilia from Cristiano and Messi, available from Icons today in time for Christmas.

Follow Icons on Twitter for all the latest football news, chat and competitions: @icons_football