Behind the Signing: Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo sign for Icons!

Here at Icons.com, we are very lucky to get to work with the world’s best footballers. It’s something we’re immensely proud of and at our most recent signing session we added two new names to our unbeatable roster. So, here’s what happened when we met the legendary Brazilian duo of Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo.

The summer is a busy time of year in the world of football. Though there’s little to no action on the pitch, clubs across the country and around the world are hard at work signing players for the season ahead. But, on Friday July 14th, in a plush hotel in central London, Icons.com captured the signatures of the two summer recruits to beat them all. We signed Brazilian legends Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo.

Known the world over for their style and flair on the pitch, this iconic pair were two of the world’s very best players during the 90s and 00s. Meeting the duo for the first time was an eye-opening experience as we shared time between their duties at the Star Sixes tournament – a meeting of some of the greatest names in world football.

It was an early start for us all but by 9am we were buzzing to meet two absolute legends. First up: Roberto Carlos.

The signing happened very quickly, as we got word the former Real Madrid full-back was ready for action. Instructed to nip up to the 11th floor and join him in his room, our team – well-versed in the art of a speedy signing session – got things underway. As self-confessed kit nerds, seeing all sorts of historic shirts, boots, balls and photos was a sight to behold. But seeing them personally signed by a FIFA World Cup and three-time UEFA Champions League winner made it all the more exciting.

During this time, we reflected on what a great player Roberto Carlos was; a truly unique defender who lit up the game. How much would the powerful defender cost in 2017, we wonder? A stalwart of Real Madrid, Carlos still holds Los Blancos‘ record for appearances made by a foreign player. No mean feat when you consider the Galaticos that have passed through that great club.

After a few quick pictures with Roberto we were out the door ready and raring for the arrival of Rivaldo.

As we got the lift down to the lobby, former Liverpool, West Ham and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James stepped in to greet us. The legendary England shot stopper had a quick chat with our team and we wished him luck for the tournament. Luck that didn’t quite catch, mind, as an England team even featuring Steven Gerrard couldn’t win the tournament on home soil. We make it 51 years of hurt now…

Of course, our team are no strangers to footballing superstars but a day up close and personal with this many legends of the game was still one to relish. Topping it off: FC Barcelona and AC Milan hero Rivaldo.

A true gentleman, the 1999 Ballon d’Or winner breezed through our signing session with every bit of the class he brought to the football pitch. Still as lean and fit as ever, the legendary attacker gave great care and attention to the products he was signing – fastidiously dotting his i’s and paying particular regard to ensuring he signed with the correct squad number. We signature buffs loved that!

Adding his beautiful autograph to a superb collection of items, it was time for Rivaldo to be whisked away to face China at the nearby O2 Arena. Three-nil or four-nil for Brazil, we asked. It wouldn’t be that easy, he replied quite diplomatically.

It was 7-0.

 

For our full range of Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos signed products check out Icons.com now!

Follow Icons on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, special offers and competitions.



It’s official! Eden Hazard joins the Icons family!

Icons Shop Limited is delighted to announce that Eden Hazard has signed an exclusive deal with the world’s leading signed football memorabilia company.

A fans’ favourite, the Chelsea and Belgium star is twice a Premier League winner and will feature in Icons’ flagship memorabilia ranges: our official UEFA Champions League range and official FIFA World Cup collection.

Hazard commented: “It is great to be part of the Icons family and I am looking forward to working with them for the coming season, especially with the 2018 World Cup in Russia coming up.”

The new exclusive Eden Hazard signed range will be sold on Icons.com and its sister site a1sportingmemorabilia.co.uk, as well as on FIFA.com, UEFA.com and in Harrods.

Icons was awarded the world’s first ever signed football memorabilia licence by FIFA in 2010 to produce a range of signed iconic World Cup products. In July 2012, we were awarded the first ever official licence for the UEFA Champions League and last year announced a licensing deal with the England FA. We have exclusive contracts with the world’s most famous international and UK players such as Lionel Messi and Dele Alli and enjoy long term relationships with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Neymar Jr.

Dan Jamieson, CEO of Icons, said: “Icons’ promise is that our products are “signed by the world’s best” and Eden is certainly one of the world’s best footballers. It’s a match made in heaven.

“We are delighted that Eden is now an Icon and we can bring a 100% authentic signed memorabilia range to his fans around the world. Authenticity is everything to us, as it is everything to our customers.”

Having swept four trophies in five seasons since joining Chelsea from French side Lille in the summer of 2012, Eden Hazard has developed into one of the Premier League‘s most exciting and most technically-gifted players. Collecting numerous individual awards along the way, Hazard‘s explosive style has attracted a multitude of praise from fellow professionals, managers, coaches, fans and pundits alike.

His talent was no more evident than in 2014-15 when, as leading light for Belgium, he reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup before returning to England to win the Premier League and the Capital One Cup as well as the PFA and FWA’s Player of the Year awards.

A further title-winning turn in 2016-17 has cemented his place as one of the world’s most sought-after talents, a player of remarkable natural talent whose stock is only rising by the day.


Shop from our full range of 100% authentic Eden Hazard signed items by visiting Icons.com today…

Follow Icons on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, chat and competitions.



ICYMI: Messi’s wedding, the two Ronnies and NUUUTS!

Here at Icons.com we like to keep a watchful eye over our superstar friends to see what they’re getting up to during the summer break. Let’s just say it’s been a huge fortnight for our two most popular Icons. In case you missed it…

Lionel Messi is now a married man, having tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo. A hearty congratulations are in order from everyone at Icons HQ to a man with whom we’ve worked for over a decade. Despite our invite getting lost in the post, the wedding was a star-studded event with footballing A-list guests Gerard Pique, Sergio Aguero and Cesc Fabregas among the attendees. Now there’s a list of players that would make quite the five-a-side team – though it may mean Messi’s bride going between the sticks.

Not to be outdone by his Argentine rival, Cristiano Ronaldo had some big news of his own last week as he announced, via Instagram, the arrival of twins; a boy and girl. Should the pair grow up to be anything like their dad, Manchester United will surely be keen to snap them up on long-term contracts.

And if the thrill of newborns wasn’t quite enough excitement for Cristiano, the 32-year-old European champion had yet another reason to be smiling as his snap of the tiny tots racked up some 7.9 million likes (and counting), making it the second most popular Instagram photo of all time. We’re sure our favourite Portuguese superstar will be a great father to them both (good luck on him going easy on you in the back garden, kids).

Next we turn to a familiar face to take us away from weddings and babies and bring us back to the football pitch, as recent Icons signee Ronaldinho enjoyed a lovely return to Camp Nou in the blue and red of FC Barcelona. Playing in a legends game against Manchester United, our new friend was just as amazing and flamboyant as you would expect. The samba star executed an outrageous nutmeg on Jesper Blomqvist and, you have to trust us on this, it’s a must watch.

But wait just a minute. If I were you, I’d keep my eyes fixed on Icons.com over the coming weeks as another legend who played in that very same game could be arriving soon. Here’s a hint: much like R10 himself, this Brazilian is much loved in Catalunya…

Lastly this week, we congratulate former England captain John Terry but not on his move to Aston Villa. We salute Mr Captain Leader Legend for his confident rendition of Ben E King’s classic Stand By Me which he belted out during his Villans initiation. Does he get top marks for his singing? No. Is it cheating that he got a guitarist to accompany him? Probably. Do we care? Absolutely not.


Shop from our full range of 100% authentic Ronaldinho signed items by visiting our dedicated R10 page…

Follow Icons on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, chat and competitions.



Why We Love Ronaldinho, The Smiley Samba Star

Let’s face it, everyone loves Ronaldinho.

The former Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona and AC Milan legend is one of our heroes here at Icons.com. The Brazilian embodied the samba style that defined a generation, while winning UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup winner’s medals with that trademark grin on his face and a song in his boots.

Because it wasn’t just his outrageous skill and unstoppable flair that made him great. Oh no. It was the way he played the game as if still on the rough streets of Porto Alegre, dribbling the ball past his dog Bombom or scoring 23 goals for his local youth team. He made seasoned defenders in the prime of their distinguished careers look like schoolchildren. He baffled goalkeepers.

So, to celebrate the launch of our brand new and exclusive range of Ronaldinho signed items, we’ve compiled a short list of what it is we love about him. Of course, there are innumerable reasons why football fans adore the man who for a period in the mid-noughties was the hero of every street footballer, but we’ll leave it to you to tell us what we’ve missed from our list…


He’s good at football in all its forms

Table football is a real thing and of course Ronaldinho is good at it.


He set up Leo Messi for the Argentine’s first ever goal

It shouldn’t have been legal for Barcelona to have these two on the same team.


He’s scored some pretty outrageous goals himself

The goal of a lifetime for most; just another standard, gravity-defying overhead kick for this man.


Some of them will stay with us forever

Even today’s stars struggle to re-create the Ronnie magic…


His control of the ball was absolute

This deserved more than simple applause, Frank. Come on.


No, seriously, footballs obeyed his every command

This is what Ronnie called ‘a warm up’.


He was pretty good from dead ball situations

Simply unstoppable.


But he still found joy in scoring the simplest of tap-ins

That poor, poor keeper.


He’s still got and will probably never lose it…

Hands up if you think a 37-year-old Ronnie could still do it for your team…


Shop from our full range of 100% authentic Ronaldinho signed items by visiting our dedicated R10 page…

Follow Icons on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, chat and competitions.



CLOSED | JOB VACANCY: Football Editorial Internship

Work-For-Us

Think you know the greatest footballers of all time? Then we’ve got the job for you! That’s right – the home of the world’s best signed football memorabilia is looking for the world’s best editorial intern!

This role will report directly to Icons CEO Dan Jamieson so send us your CV and covering letter (with the correct usage of capital letters), explaining why you would be a good fit for this internship.

Check below for the full details of what we’re looking for and if you think you fit the bill why not apply now via Gorkana Jobs?

 

DETAILS

  • You will be based at our offices in Kentish Town, London
  • You will be paid London Living Wage
  • Interviews will take place in early June with a view to starting later in the month
  • For more details on the role please contact dan@icons.com

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

You must have:

  • A flawless command of the English language
  • A love for – and an in-depth knowledge of – football and other sports
  • Strong subediting skills and a meticulous attention to detail
  • Experience of various social media tools and platforms
  • An excellent phone manner
  • An ability to work comfortably with content management systems
  • Experience of working with Photoshop (i.e. basic design and photo editing skills)

 

Additionally:

  • Foreign language skills are desirable (especially Spanish) but not essential

 

You will:

  • Update player profiles, product descriptions and various imagery
  • Write copy for adverts and promotions
  • Post from our social media channels, including our FacebookTwitter and Instagram pages
  • Contribute to the Icons blog
  • Assist with the management of our stock levels and inventory
  • Get the opportunity for travel and to meet the world’s best footballers and sportspeople

 

PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NO LONGER TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS INTERNSHIP.



Icons Shop Limited Shortlisted For A Sports Business Award

Icons Shop Limited is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Best Small Business Serving Sport at the Sports Business Awards 2017.

This past year, we celebrated working with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for over a decade. We also announced a brand new licence with The Football Association to produce Official England Licensed Memorabilia, further expanding our range of official licences with the world’s biggest organisations, events and brands, which already included the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA EURO 2016 and Official Messi Signed Merchandise.

In addition, Icons Shop Limited doubled turnover, experienced record sales for the busy Christmas and New Year period, expanded its staff and further strengthened its relationships with the world’s best footballers.

The Sports Business Awards celebrates “the vital influence of business within sport” and “recognises the organisations, teams and individuals who excel in a variety of business, CSR and sports governance disciplines.” The ceremony, which takes on June 2nd at The Brewery in London, will be attended by over 400 professionals from a variety of industries within the world of sport.

Also nominated in our category are All Sport Insurance, Beyond 90, Designwerk, FKPro, HRP Equestrian, ILG Business Ltd and Traveleads.

 

Click here to find out more about the Sports Business Awards. For the full list of finalists, click here.

For all our latest product news, behind the scenes content, giveaways and competitions, please follow Icons on FacebookTwitterInstagram and YouTube.



CLOSED | WIN a Cristiano Ronaldo Signed Nike Boot with FOOTY.COM

Video via FOOTY.COM on Facebook

After a stellar 2016 in which he not only won the UEFA Champions League for a third time but also inspired a first ever major trophy as the captain of his country AND bagged a fourth Ballon d’Or, Cristiano Ronaldo‘s standing as the best player in world football became less of a debate and more of a cold, hard fact.

We at Icons.com love us some CR7. So much so, in fact, that we’ve been working closely with the global phenomenon for over a decade. A Sporting Lisbon legend, a Manchester United hero, a Real Madrid superstar – however you choose to view his career, Ronaldo remains one of our most popular icons.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with our friends at FOOTY.COM to offer the ultimate giveaway for Cristiano fans.

04-cristiano-certificate

That’s right, this week we’re offering you the chance to win a Cristiano Ronaldo signed Nike Mercurial Victory VI boot.

Throwing your hat in the ring for this spectacular prize couldn’t be easier. Just head over to FOOTY.COM, pop in your name and email address and you’re in. The competition ends on Sunday March 12th at midnight (GMT) so enter now before it’s too late!

03-cristiano-signature

Follow Icons on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, chat and competitions.



CLOSED | JOB VACANCY: Financial Controller

Work-For-Us

The home of the world’s best signed football memorabilia is looking for the world’s best financial controller… That’s right, if you’re a number-crunching football fanatic, this is the job for you!

Check below for the full details of what we’re looking for and if you think you fit the bill why not apply now?

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

You must:

  • Be a qualified accountant
  • Have a good working knowledge of IFRS, the reporting standard of our parent company, Marka
  • Have sound analytical skills and business acumen
  • Have a passion for sport and football in particular

You will:

  • Report to the CEO and our parent company’s financial team
  • Get the opportunity for travel and to meet the world’s best footballers and sportspeople

 

DETAILS

  • This is a full-time role
  • You will be based at our offices in Kentish Town, London
  • The salary will be £50,000 p/a
  • For more details on the role please contact dan@icons.com

 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY VIA LINKEDIN