It's been a whirlwind 2012 for Icons in which we've conducted signings with old friends Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, met with legends like Eric Cantona and Brazilian Ronaldo and struck up new partnerships with the amazing Pep Guardiola and Neymar. And on top of all that, we've just had our busiest Christmas ever. But what does 2013 have in store?

We're kicking off the new year in style this evening (a little early, we know) with the launch of our January Sale, slashing prices on our stunning range of signed memorabilia from the world's best players by up to 50%. Check back from 6pm GMT tonight (24 December) for:

• £50 off signed signed Leo Messi Barcelona 2012-13 season shirts and boots
• Up to £150 off signed Cristiano Ronaldo products
• 20% off our entire Preframed selection including signed framed items from the likes of Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Olympian Jess Ennis.
• £100 off selected Andres Iniesta signed memorabilia

As Christmas and 2013 near, we're casting an eye back on our Icons' best moments from 2012 across the festive period. Today, we look at what has been a spellbinding year for the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo...

Derby demolition job (vs. Atletico Madrid, 11 April)

Three goals from the 27-year-old helped Los Galacticos brush aside an in-form Atletico to pull four points clear at the top of La Liga, with the race for the title at fever pitch. The second goal in particular will live on in fans' memories - an unstoppable free-kick from forty yards missled into the bottom right corner with surgical precision. (Find on YouTube)

A Clasico to remember (vs. Barcelona, 21 April)

Brushing aside critics' suggestion he was a big game bottler, Ronaldo latched on to a Mesmut Ozil through ball at Camp Nou to all but secure his team's first La Liga title in four years. It was his 54th goal of the season, a figure which eventually rose to 60 in all competitions. Real went on to be crowned league victors on 2 May at Atheltic, a game in which Cristiano fittingly scored the final goal of their campaign. (Find on YouTube)

Euros euphoria (vs. Holland, 17 June)

Without a win in their opening two group games, the Portugese striker rescued his team with one of the best individual displays of the tournament against Holland, scoring twice and hitting the woodwork in an enthralling 2-1 win. Portugal crashed out on penalties to Spain in the semi-finals, but not before Ronaldo had cemented his status as one of the best players in the world, no matter the stage. (Find on YouTube)

A flick of genius (vs. Barcelona, 29 August)

It might not have been his cleanest finish but the flick to take Ronaldo through on goal in Real's Supercup tie with Barcelona was among his deftest, looping the ball over Gerard Pique with his heel. Sublime. (Find on YouTube)

Clasico recordbreaker (vs. Barcelona, 7 October)

The 27-year-old became the first player to score in six consecutive Clasicos in an enthralling battle with Barcelona that saw Ronaldo and Messi star, both scoring twice. Which of course, did nothing to help dispel the biggest question in modern football - who is better, the Barcelona maverick or Real's Portugese wonder? - a debate set to continue long into 2013 and beyond... (Find on YouTube)

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Check out Icons' amazing range of signed Cristiano Ronaldo memorabilia, available in time for Christmas - click here to buy!

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

Buying a Christmas gift for a football-obsessed loved one? Look no further than our team by team buyers' guide, running all this week on the Icons blog. Today's team, ahead of their Champions League crunch tie with Manchester City tonight, is Los Galaticos themselves, Read Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Bernabeu superstar has proven himself worth every penny of his world record €94m transfer fee, paid to Manchester United in 2009. One of the world's greatest players, he's gone from strenth to strenth ever since arriving at Real Madrid, scoring an amazing 165 times in 162 appearances to date, establishing himself as a Galacticos legend in just three years. The attacking dynamo is one of Icons' biggest sellers and with our amazing range of Cristiano products, it's no wonder - we have Real Madrid shirts, photos and boots as well as momentos from his time at United, all signed by the man himself.

View our entire Cristiano Ronaldo range

Ronaldo

From one Ronaldo to another... before Cristiano lit up the Bernabeu, it was his Brazilian namesake who fans chanted for on the terraces. The original Ronaldo is the record World Cup goal scorer and one of the greatest players to ever grace the game. His time at Madrid saw him cement his reputation and deliver one of his most memorable performances, putting a historic hat trick past Manchester United keeper Fabien Barthez at Old Trafford. You or a Madrid-mad loved one can now relive that moment forever with a signed photo from the occasion, available now in our Official Licensed UEFA Champions League range, while there's also signed Madrid shirts as well as signed pictures from his career-defining 2002 World Cup final performance for his national team.

View our entire Ronaldo range

Then of course, for the perfect stocking filler, you might want to salute Madrid's record five European Cup wins with your own miniature replica Champions League trophy.

For our entire Real Madrid range, click here.

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

There’s a reason why the UEFA Champions League is described as The Ultimate Stage. Since the tournament began it has delivered some of the most magical moments in sporting history, pitting the best of the best against each other in the most beloved spectacle club football has ever known.

No other competition offers the same last-gasp comebacks, high-octane drama and magnificent goals – which is why Icons are proud to announce a new range of exclusive Official Licensed UEFA Champions League products commemorating its finest players and moments from across its incredible history.

As an Official UEFA Licensee, Icons Shop Limited now offer Official UEFA Champions League memorabilia that matches the breathtaking quality the biggest and best club competition of all time. All items come with a Certificate of Authenticity and Official UEFA Champions League hologram, and are delivered to your door in specially designed UEFA Champions League packaging or framing options.

From signed photos commemorating the night the Brazilian legend Ronaldo scored his historic hat-trick at Old Trafford in 2003 to signed Leo Messi boots, there's a product for any football fan wishing to celebrate the greatest club competition the world has ever known.

Icons went to Nyon, Switzerland to visit our new friends at UEFA who very kindly allowed director Dan Jamieson to be pictured with the UEFA Champions League trophy. "It felt like I was bringing home number six!" said Liverpool fan Jamieson,

Click HERE to view our entire range of UEFA Champions League products manufactured under licence by UEFA.

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

An Andrea Pirlo masterclass and another painful penalty shootout, and England are heading home early from Euro 2012. You might expect Icons' London HQ to be a sombre place today, but instead of wallowing in England-induced misery, we’re doing our best to look on the bright side...

While Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney may be packing their bags, we are delighted to have three international Icons competing in the semi-finals of Euro 2012. We're all about the world's best players at Icons, and these three are probably the best of the tournament so far.

Andrea Pirlo
“I always believed I was number one and I believe I have demonstrated it again this season,” so said Andrea Pirlo before he had even kicked a ball at the Euros. That self-confidence and class was all too evident for England last night, as his sublime 'Panenka' penalty rolled into the net past a helpless Joe Hart. Pirlo's form in Poland and Ukraine has been superb. As well as his stunning man-of-the-match performance in the quarter-final against England, he contributed two assists and a beautiful goal from a free-kick as Italy qualified from Group C along with Spain. We are delighted to have his signed Italy shirt available for pre-order HERE.

Andrés Iniesta
At Barcelona, a certain Leo Messi tends to grab the headlines, but for Spain at Euro 2012, there can be little doubt that Andrés Iniesta has been the main man. Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has been criticised for flooding his side with midfielders at the expense of an out-and-out striker, but with playmakers of Iniesta's quality at his disposal, who can blame him?! Iniesta has been the crucial difference for La Roja throughout the tournament. He is a player capable of unpicking even the most crowded defences, and was named man-of-the-match in their Group C games against both Italy and Croatia. Buy his signed shirt, boot or photo HERE.

Cristiano Ronaldo
Last but certainly not least is Cristiano Ronaldo. The irrepressible Portuguese has got people thinking he might just win Portugal the trophy on his own. After a superb brace against the Netherlands in Group B and a brilliant headed winner in Portugal’s quarter-final against the Czech Republic, the Portugal skipper finds himself as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with three goals, and faces a mouth-watering semi-final clash against Iniesta’s Spain. Never one to pass up an opportunity to score, Ronaldo has had more shots at Euro 2012 than the entire England squad combined. Get 1/3 off his signed Portugal photo HERE.

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View Icons' full range of signed Euro 2012 products HERE

Follow Icons on Twitter @icons_football

Euro 2012 is almost upon us, and Icons are offering you the chance to win a fantastic signed prize from one of its biggest stars. All you have to do is predict the winner of Euro 2012. If your prediction is successful, you could be the proud owner of a signed boot from Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney or Andrés Iniesta.
To enter click HERE - it only takes 30 seconds!

So, will Iker Casillas and Spain retain their title? Or maybe you fancy France? Or Germany? Or England, Russia or Poland? Make your pick and enter the competition here.

Good luck! And make sure you follow Icons on Twitter @icons_football and 'like' us on Facebook for competition updates.

Another day, another reason to congratulate the phenomenal Leo Messi. The Barcelona forward has been named winner of the ESM Golden Shoe for his staggering record tally of 50 league goals in 2011-12.

Messi finished four goals clear of last year's winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, to claim the second ESM Golden Shoe award of his career. Messi appeared in all but one of Barcelona's 38 league games this season, scoring six hat-tricks and notching two four-goal hauls. The Argentinian, who previously won the Golden Shoe in 2009/10 with 34 goals, has scored a remarkable 72 goals in all competitions this season.

Despite scoring six more goals than his winning tally of 40 last season, Real Madrid's Ronaldo has had to settle for 2nd place. And to round off a top three of Icons, Arsenal's Robin van Persie came in at 3rd with 30 goals. Manchester United Icon Wayne Rooney, meanwhile, finished 6th with his 27 strikes.

ESM Golden Shoe standings

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 50 x 2 = 100
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 46 x 2 = 92
3. Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 30 x 2 = 60
4. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke) 29 x 2 = 58
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) 28 x 2 = 56
6. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 27 x 2 = 54
7. Mario Gomez (Bayern München) 26 x 2 = 52
8. Bas Dost (Heerenveen) 32 x 1.5 = 48
8= Falcao (Atletico Madrid) 24 x 2 = 48
8= Diego Milito (Inter Milan) 24 x 2 = 48
8= Burak Yilmaz (Trabzonspor) 32 x 1.5 = 48

Rules

Only the leading five countries – Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England – in the UEFA rankings have two as their multiplier. This is to emphasise the difference in (international) performance level between clubs from those countries and those of other nations.

A player cannot play first in a summer league (e.g. Norway) and then in a winter league (e.g. Spain) and combine the points totals for each season.

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Icons can EXCLUSIVELY reveal Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's favourite hat! Observe the evidence...

On the left, Ronaldo is sporting the hat at his most recent signing session with Icons on 8th February 2012, while on the right he can be seen - wearing the very same hat! - celebrating Real Madrid's 32nd La Liga title on 3rd May in Madrid. Clearly this hat is reserved for special occasions! We love you too Ronny!

You can see our amazing signed Cristiano Ronaldo range right here (does not include hats).

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Congratulations to Suraj Thapa, the winner of our 'Go Ron, go!' Cristiano Ronaldo competition!

Suraj, who hails form the city of Sunnyvale in California, USA, is now the proud owner of a Nike Mercurial boot and Real Madrid photo personally signed by Ronaldo, courtesy of Icons! Check out Suraj with his amazing prizes!

The sensational Ronaldo has scored a phenomenal 59 goals this season to send Real Madrid to La Liga title glory. Check out Icons' full range of signed Ronaldo products here.

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition! Follow Icons on Twitter @icons_football for the latest on new competitions, and for your chance to win incredible signed prizes from the world's best players.

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Have you ever wondered what happens when Icons meet the world’s best players? Or fancied an inside look at one of our private signings? Well good news! We're now offering you a sneak peek into our exciting football world...

Our shiny new Flickr page features exclusive, previously unseen photos from our recent signing sessions with superstars like Leo Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin Van Persie. We travel all around the world to meet with our Icons, and now we want to show you the photos to prove it.

So if you want definitive proof of the authenticity of our signatures, or you just want to see Arsenal's Robin Van Persie wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, then head on over to Flickr now and have a look for yourself.

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Follow Icons on Twitter @icons_football