Monthly archives: April, 2016

Look Who’s Back! Gareth Bale Completes His Fourth Icons Signing Session

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Here at Icons.com, we’re proud to say we work with the world’s best footballers. From Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr to James Rodriguez, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and, of course, the greats of bygone years; Pele, Diego Maradona, Eric Cantona and many, many more. But no list of the world’s best and brightest can be complete without the most expensive player in the history of the game.

That’s why our team swapped the warmth and sunshine of North London with the dreary grey and rainy skies of Madrid to meet Welsh wing wizard Gareth Bale for yet another exclusive signing session. Arriving in Spain to the news that the race for La Liga supremacy was to get yet tighter after victories for each of the top three, we were far from surprised to find that all the locals wanted to talk about was football. Not that they ever need an excuse.

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Upon hearing that we were in town to meet the 27-year-old Real Madrid winger for a signing, the taxi drivers, barmen and hotel staff who help smoothen our journeys around the world were keen to stress the Welshman’s importance to a team still very much on the hunt for a league and UEFA Champions League double. History beckons for Gareth and his Castilian cohorts. Not only would a UEFA Champions League triumph bring the club the ultimate European glory for the 11th time, a La Liga title would have them move on to a record 33 Spanish championships.

And what with UEFA EURO 2016 on the horizon, it’s no wonder our friend was in high spirits.

To the dulcet tones of Tom Jones, our session began in earnest. Adding his signature to our fantastic range of brand new products, Gareth happily chatted away about life in the Spanish capital, the Premier League’s unlikely title tussle, his love for golf and, naturally, the challenges that lie ahead.Gareth-Bale-Photo-FramesAlthough there is much to look forward to, this was also a great time for Gareth to take a look back on some of the crowning moments of his sparking career. Signing our excellent range of 16 x 12 inch photos, the Welshman was reminded of his six momentous years at Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored 42 goals in 146 matches and won back-to-back PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards and the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year. When asked about the race for the title in EnglandGareth admitted that although he wants his old club to claim top spot in the Premier League, he can’t help but be swept up in the incredible story that is Leicester City.

After all, this is a man who lives for sport. In fact, much of the signing session was spent discussing his other big passion in life: golf. While continuing to autograph our brand new range of Real Madrid and Spurs shirtsGareth spoke with great passion about his love for the game of golf; his amazement at Jordan Spieth’s collapse at The Masters a few months ago; his joy at seeing a British winner of that hallowed major; and his own experiences on the courses in and around the Spanish capital (the winger’s handicap is six, for those who are interested).

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“So, do you play any other sports?” Gareth is asked. “Well, football,” comes his cheeky response. We’re starting to get the feeling that Gareth is really loving life at the moment. And what with UEFA EURO 2016 not far off, the Cardiff-born speedster is extremely confident in Wales‘ chances. Laughing away as he shares in some friendly EnglandWales banter, Gareth says he expects his compatriots to spring a few upsets at this summer’s festival of football in France.

Having this season surpassed Gary Lineker to become La Liga’s all-time highest scoring Brit, Gareth has every reason to feel confident. After all, the world’s most expensive footballer is only getting better; scoring more goals, providing yet more stunning assists and coasting past full-backs with his ultra quick turn of pace. In GarethWales has one of the stars of the tournament. So, watch out England.

 

For our full range of Gareth Bale signed products check out icons.com now!

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How to buy a genuine Lionel Messi signed shirt: A guide to avoiding fakes & unofficial dealers

When searching through Ebay and around the web for a Lionel Messi signed shirt you will be presented with a wide range of items and sellers. Naturally, without the proper experience or research, there can be many potential pitfalls involved in buying signed football memorabilia. So, here are some handy tips to abide by…

The most obvious of which is to be sure of the authenticity of the item. Many sellers will tell you a player has genuinely signed their product. But how can you know for sure that you are not purchasing a fake or printed signature? The techniques used by fraudulent sellers can be very convincing and it is not always easy to identify a fake. So, when you buy a signed Lionel Messi shirt from Icons, we try to put your mind at ease by providing you with the following:

  • An Official Messi Signed Merchandise certificate – Icons is the only place you can buy officially licensed Lionel Messi signed memorabilia. All of our products are supplied with a hologrammed Certificate of Authenticity, which provides key information and shows a photo of Lionel Messi signing the item.
  • Photo proof – We are happy to provide a wide range of photos that clearly show Messi at a closed signing session arranged and conducted by Icons.
  • Video proof – Icons have a unique style of authentication video, which showcase both our products and our connection to the players who sign for us.
  • Signing date & location – We know exactly where and when our items were signed and we’re more than happy to disclose this information for the sake of authentication. All our items come from closed signing sessions, ensuring not only the authenticity but also the quality of each autograph.

When you are looking for Lionel Messi signed shirts online, you should use these points as a checklist from which to compare other sellers. If they can’t provide any of these things, ask yourself why not?

 

More information about Icons Shop Ltd

Icons Shop Ltd is the world’s leading football memorabilia company and Icons is the most trusted brand in the game. Authenticity is everything to us, as it is everything to our customers.

In 2014, Icons launched the first ever individually licensed memorabilia range: the Official Lionel Messi Signed Merchandise collection. We are the only company Lionel Messi and his management team trust to work with and the 2015-16 season marks the tenth year of Icons’ working-relationship with the Argentine superstar. In fact, we signed with him when he had just broken into the Barcelona first team, way back in 2006.

All Icons products come from private signing sessions in which the player is paid a fee for their service. We never, ever accost players outside the training grounds and we never, ever buy products from companies who do this. We deal directly with the players’ trusted representatives. Very often the players will donate the fees to either a charity of their choosing or a foundation to which they are directly associated. And because we have worked with the players and their agents for many years, they trust us and often personally recommend us to one another.

For all these reasons and more, you can rely on Icons as a trusted source for signed memorabilia, so if you’re looking for a Lionel Messi shirt that has been signed by the man himself, we suggest you look no further.

 

Click here to view all our officially licensed Lionel Messi signed memorabilia.

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