Tag: Barcelona

Play the Icons Predictors

Icons_Predictor
August 13, 2026
Announcements

From the World Cup to every gameweek: play the Icons Predictors

Last summer, football fans didn’t just watch the FIFA World Cup™ — almost 50,000 of you predicted it. Our free-to-play World Cup Predictor became one of the most-played things we’ve ever put on Icons.com. And it turns out you can’t have just one. So we’ve built a whole line-up of football predictors, and there’s a hand-signed shirt to win in every single one.

It started with the World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ Predictor was simple: fill in the full bracket, call the daily scorelines, and pick your Golden Boot and Golden Ball — all for free. 49,157 of you entered, played along through every round to the final, and watched Spain lift the trophy after a 1–0 win over Argentina.

Two players walked away with the top prizes. Chan Pak Hong submitted the most accurate bracket of the lot and won a hand-signed Lionel Messi shirt. ABiliouris finished at the top of the Daily Scores leaderboard and won an official FIFA World Cup signed and Hero Framed shirt.

Missed it? See the results and winners →

The predictors are back — for every competition

The World Cup only comes round every four years. Football doesn’t stop, and neither do the predictors. Here’s what you can play right now.

Champions League Predictor

Pick your final four: who lifts the trophy, who they beat in the final, and the two teams they knock out along the way. Lock it in before the league phase kicks off. Call it right, and you win a signed shirt from a Champions League winner — and as the home of official UEFA Champions League® memorabilia, we’ve got the shirt to match. [Make your prediction →]

Ballon d’Or Predictor

Reckon you know who’s taking the game’s biggest individual award? Build your top five, from the winner down, before the ceremony. Icons.com is the home of official Ballon d’Or™ memorabilia, and there’s a signed shirt from a Ballon d’Or winner up for grabs. [Make your prediction →]

Gameweek Predictor — Premier League, Serie A and LaLiga

This is the one you play every single week. Each gameweek, we pick the six biggest fixtures, and you predict the exact scores. Nail the scoreline, three points; get the result right, one. Points stack up on a season-long leaderboard, and whoever finishes at the top in May wins a hand-signed shirt from a title-winning club. Pick your league:

Free to play. Real shirts to win.

Every predictor is free, takes a couple of minutes, and puts a hand-signed shirt on the line. Make your calls, climb the leaderboards, and while you’re here, take a look at the official signed collections behind the prizes.

Shop signed football memorabilia →


The Lengths We Go To: Why Icons Is Different

November 25, 2025
Collector's Club Why We Love

At Icons, we don’t just sell signed memorabilia; we deliver experiences that match the magnitude of the names on our products. When you’re dealing with pieces signed by the world’s greatest athletes, standard service isn’t an option.

Recently, our team embarked on a 36-hour journey to hand-deliver a collection of extraordinary pieces to a client internationally: a Diego Maradona & Lionel Messi Signed Argentina Shirts In Classic Dual Frame, a Sir David Beckham & Lionel Messi Dual Front Signed Inter Miami CF 2024-25 Home Shirt In Hero Frame, and a Lionel Messi & Lamine Yamal Signed Argentina and Spain Shirts In Classic Dual Frame.

Rather than risk damage through traditional shipping channels, we flew out personally, professionally framed the pieces on-site to guarantee perfect presentation, and delivered them directly into the client’s hands.

Was it necessary? Absolutely.
Was it expected? Perhaps not.

But it’s exactly this level of commitment that separates Icons from everyone else in the industry.

Why We Do Things Differently

Every piece of memorabilia we authenticate carries the signature of an Icon, athletes who’ve dedicated their lives to being the absolute best at what they do. Our service philosophy is no different. We’re not satisfied with “good enough” when it comes to protecting and presenting these pieces.

When you’re handling dual-signed frames featuring Messi alongside Maradona, arguably the two greatest players ever to grace a football pitch, or a shirt bearing the signatures of Beckham and Messi, the stakes are too high to leave anything to chance.

For high-value collections and discerning clients, our VIP Club Service provides a completely tailored experience:

  • Hand-picked product curation based on your specific interests and collection goals
  • Personal consultation with our expert team
  • Premium framing and presentation options
  • White-glove delivery service, including international hand delivery when required
  • Exclusive access to limited edition releases and one-of-one pieces

Best-in-Class, Because Anything Less Isn’t Good Enough

While other companies see memorabilia as products to ship, we see them as investments, heirlooms, and pieces of sporting history that deserve to be treated with the utmost care.

From our revolutionary TripleLock™ authentication technology, featuring individual signing photos, NFC verification, and tamper-proof holograms, to our willingness to fly across the world to ensure perfect delivery, every detail matters.

Because when you’re trusted with signatures from Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Beckham, and football’s greatest Icons, anything less than world-class service simply isn’t an option.

Interested in our VIP Service?

Whether you’re building a collection, searching for that one perfect piece, or require white-glove service for high-value memorabilia, our team is here to help.

Contact us today to discuss how we can create a tailored experience for you.


Lionel Messi Signs Again for Icons.com!

April 14, 2022
Signing Sessions

Icons.com’s decade-long official relationship with Lionel Messi has paid off once again as the global superstar put pen to product in our first signing of 2022 with the Argentine maestro.

The private signing session took place in Paris on April 13th, 2022 at which Messi signed a superb collection of incredible pieces of memorabilia, including shirts, boots, balls and photos.

We now have even more Official Messi Signed Merchandise in stock, including FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina shirts. They are also available to buy online in our official and exclusive FC Barcelona, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup memorabilia collections.

In terms of pure ability and astonishing natural talent, Messi has continued to set the bar high and has forged a career that will be talked about for decades to come. Having scored an incredible 672 goals in 778 FC Barcelona appearances, Messi not only broke a club record but also a La Liga record.

Every piece of Official Messi Signed Merchandise comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) that shows Messi signing these great items at the session in question, as well as details of the date and location of the signing. Our official COAs are created under license by Icons Shop Limited. So, any Messi signed product that doesn’t come with an official COA is not official and therefore cannot to be trusted.

For all the latest on which global megastar we sign with next, as well as early access to products and exclusive discounts, giveaways and much more, make sure you’re subscribed to the Icons.com email newsletter. Sign up today via icons.com/newsletter.


Another Signing with Superstar Lionel Messi!

December 17, 2021
Signing Sessions

Icons.com are delighted to confirm that Lionel Messi has once again put pen to product at the latest of our official signing sessions with the global superstar.

The private signing session took place in Paris on December 16th, 2021 at which Messi signed a vast array of incredible pieces including shirts, boots, balls and photos.

Messi-signed FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina shirts are available to buy online now in our official and exclusive FC Barcelona, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup memorabilia collections.

We all know that Messi needs no introduction but it’s impossible not to marvel at his superhuman ability and hall of fame playing record. Now plying his trade at PSG, Messi has been the focal point of some of European football’s most deadly attacks in every season he has played.

Breaking over 20 records at FC Barcelona, including the club’s all-time goalscoring record and winning the Ballon d’Or more than any other player, Messi now set his sights on breaking records in France at another of the world’s biggest clubs.

As Lionel Messi’s official and exclusive worldwide signing partner and licensee, we at Icons.com pride ourselves on the fact that we have been signing with him since the age of 17. That’s almost 20 years of signing with one of the world’s greatest ever players.

All Official Messi Signed Merchandise comes with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) that shows Messi signing the item in question at our session, as well as detailing the date and location of the signing. The COA is officially branded and created under license by Icons Shop Limited.

For all the latest on which global megastar we sign with next, as well as early access to products and exclusive discounts, giveaways and much more, make sure you’re subscribed to the Icons.com email newsletter. Sign up today via icons.com/newsletter.

The private signing session took place in Paris on 16th December 2021 where Messi signed a vast array of incredible pieces including shirts, boots, balls and photos.

Messi signed Barcelona, PSG, Argentina shirts are available to buy online now not only in sleek Icons.com presentation options but also in our official and exclusive FC Barcelona, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup memorabilia collections.

We all know that Messi needs no introduction but it’s impossible not to marvel at his vast ability and playing record. Now plying his trade at PSG, Messi has been the focal point of Barcelona’s attack force in every season he has played.

Breaking over 20 records at Barcelona, including becoming their all time top goal scorer and winning the most Ballon d’Or awards, Messi will no set his sights on breaking some records in France, which we are sure he will.

As Icons are Lionel Messi’s official and exclusive worldwide signing partner and licensee, we pride ourselves on the fact that we have been signing with him since the age of 17. That’s almost 20 years of signing with the worlds greatest player.

All Official Messi Signed Merchandise comes with a Certificate of Authenticity that shows Messi signing one of the items at the session, as well as the date and location of the signing. The COA is Messi branded and created under license by Icons.

For all the latest on which global megastar we sign with next, as well as early access to products and exclusive discounts, giveaways and much more, make sure you’re subscribed to the Icons.com email newsletter. Sign up today via icons.com/newsletter.


From Our CEO: Adding To An Iconic List of Ballon d’Or Winners

February 11, 2019
From Our CEO

What do George Weah, Jean-Pierre Papin, Andriy Shevchenko, Matthias Sammer and Hristo Stoichkov have in common? Of course, it’s pretty well-known that they are all past Ballon d’Or winners. But the few names on this short list share something else, too. These are the only five names from the past three decades who’ve won the Ballon d’Or but aren’t Icons… yet.

Every other former winner of football’s most coveted individual prize has undertaken a signing session for Icons, from Marco Van Basten to Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane to Lionel Messi. And so, when mercurial midfielder Luka Modric won this year’s accolade, it was only a matter of time before he joined our roster. Well, it was 58 days, to be exact.

In fact, our recent signing with Luka also kept alive another impressive streak of ours: we can now say that we have worked with the winners of the award from each of the past fourteen seasons.

Luka was delighted to join the list and even allowed our signing team to hold the actual Ballon d’Or award that he has at home on his mantelpiece in Madrid. ‘Signed By The World’s Best’ indeed!

So, how do we get to these players? Well, to be frank, it’s a combination of judgement and luck. We first worked with Messi, for example, when he was just 17-years-old. The year was 2006 and we had been tipped off about this new sensation in Barcelona by our man on the ground in Spain. I could write for days with similar stories. We met Cristiano Ronaldo as he arrived in Manchester. Kaka had been an Icon for a number of years before he won a Ballon d’Or. We even saw a 19-year-old Neymar Jr playing in Sao Paolo – that was 2013 and we were sat next to Kaka’s father. It was Ronaldo Nazario who had let us know that this guy might be a future Ballon d’Or winner. Neymar Jr hasn’t won it yet, of course, but we’re playing the long-game.

We like to think we can spot talent and it was great to see our first Icon of the Future, Callum Hudson-Odoi, who signed for Icons back in May 2018, selling more items during our January Sale than many of the biggest names in the sport. It shows we might be on to something with the Chelsea starlet. Maybe he too will have something shiny on his mantelpiece in a decade’s time…

I always say that as a kid I collected football stickers but nowadays I collect footballers. So come on, George, Jean-Pierre, Andriy, Matthias and Hristo – it’s time to get in touch and join the world’s most truly iconic club.

See the full range of all-new Luka Modric signed memorabilia by clicking here.

See our unrivalled collection of memorabilia signed by nominees and winners of the Ballon d’Or by clicking here.

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


From Our CEO: Experience The World’s Best with Icons XP

October 19, 2018
From Our CEO

One of the pivotal moments of my life happened in Barcelona. It was 2001 and I was drinking cheap cava in a hillside terrace bar overlooking the city. Dusk fell and the cityscape turned sparkly. I had a job I hated for a dotcom startup in London and I was on a football tour in the Catalan capital.

“Why don’t I just quit my job and come and live here? It’s got sun, sand and sexy football – what more could you want?” I asked.

Five months later I’d left everything behind to move to Barcelona to play, watch and teach people how to talk about football. Some of my friends were incredulous. They said: “You’re just going out there for the experience. Why would you do that?”

Fast forward to 2018. I’m reading an article written by the founder of Airbnb, Brian Chesky. He’s talks about how his company have been able to create a trust platform, unlocking the spaces left vacant in people’s spare rooms and empty houses. Their next step, he explains is to create 100 million entrepreneurs, unlocking the potential not of spaces but of people. “We’re creating Airbnb experiences where people all over the world offer their talents, skills and knowledge to others to buy as they travel. Hidden city tours, salsa classes, art history lessons, Airbnb can use its trust platform to put consumers together with suppliers,” Chesky says.

Now, what that got to do with memorabilia?

Well, firstly, if we can bring memorabilia together with memories, we are tapping into what Generation XP want more than anything: stories to tell. At Icons, we have access to the world’s biggest superstar footballers and we can get to the world’s greatest sporting events. Hey, it’s why I do what I do.

So, this month we’re launching Icons XP with the tagline ‘Experience The World’s Best’. As with lots of these ideas, we start in Barcelona. Icons now have a private corporate box at Camp Nou. If you love Leo Messi, you can now buy Experience Memorabilia package from Icons.com and be our guests at his next game to see him play in the flesh. We were in the box for the Joan Gamper Trophy earlier in the year and the little magician we love so much scored right in front of us. Imagine watching El Clasico or a UEFA Champions League semi-final and seeing Leo, Luis Suarez or Philippe Coutinho doing something truly iconic? Maybe we can even get them to pop into the box after the match to say hello… we’re working on it.

Now wouldn’t that would be an iconic experience?

While it starts with Barcelona it most certainly does not end there. Icons are co-promoting a speaker tour that brings Manchester United legend Eric Cantona to London, Manchester and Ireland throughout October. Icons founder Edward Freedman worked with Eric at United and, in fact, Cantona was the first player he got to sign shirts, making him the very first on a long and ever expanding list of Icons. For Eric’s tour, Icons XP is offering VIP and VVIP tickets that allows fans to come backstage to meet Eric himself. When we did this two years ago a grown man fainted upon meeting Le God. That’s what it means to our customers.

Memories plus memorabilia. That has a nice ring to it, I think.

If we can bring fans closer to their heroes through events, tickets, boxes or meets and greets, we will. Our roster comprises the biggest names in sport and we have a reputation for running the best competitions and giveaways for money-can’t-buy prizes. If The FC Barcelona Experience and Eric Cantona Live work, we’ll expand, offering more and more experiences to our customers. Maybe we can even put together those experiences in cities around the world with Airbnb’s local experts. A Diego Maradona tour around Boca in Buenos Aires, for example. Maybe a Steven Gerrard framed memento from a trip to Anfield or a native New Yorker talking you through the iconic nights of Madison Square Gardens.

Icons XP is a new way to get closer to your heroes. And we couldn’t be more excited to bring it to you. See you in Barcelona soon.

  • FC Barcelona Experience Memorabilia packages are available for matches throughout FC Barcelona’s 2018/19 campaign, including the world-famous El Clasico derby plus crucial La Liga clashes, thrilling Copa Del Rey ties and, of course, those epic UEFA Champions League nights. Contact experiences@icons.com for prices, match availability and further information.
  • Eric Cantona kicks off his UK speaker tour on October 24th with a show at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. VIP and VVIP tickets are available for all dates. Click here for more information.

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

August 5, 2017
Signing Sessions

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 Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all our latest blog posts, special offers and competitions.


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

July 8, 2017
In Case You Missed It

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…

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