Gracias, Capitán: Messi Retires from International Football

September 2, 2026
Announcements

There will never be another chapter like it. After more than two decades in the famous number 10 shirt, Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football — closing the greatest individual story the international game has ever seen.

It began with a teenager so slight the shirt seemed to wear him, and it ends with the most decorated player in Argentina’s history: a FIFA World Cup™ winner, a multiple Copa América champion, his country’s record goalscorer and its most-capped player. Between those two points lie twenty years of moments the sport will never forget, and a few heartbreaks that made the triumphs mean more.

The Long Road to Qatar

What made Messi’s international career so beloved was that it wasn’t easy. There was the agony of the 2014 final in the Maracanã, defeats on penalties in successive Copa América finals, and even a brief retirement in 2016, reversed because Argentina simply refused to imagine the shirt without him.

Then came the golden years. The 2021 Copa América, his first senior international trophy, was won in Brazil of all places, followed by the night that completed football: 18 December 2022, Lusail, the World Cup final for the ages. Messi lifting the trophy in Qatar wasn’t just Argentina’s third star; it felt like the game itself settling a debt.

He gave it one final summer in 2026, captaining the holders all the way to the final on American soil at the age of 39. It wasn’t to be; a brilliant Spain side saw to that, but the ovation that followed him around stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico all tournament long said everything. The world knew it was watching him in the albiceleste for the last time.

Our Twenty Years with Leo

At Icons, this moment lands differently. We have worked with Leo since he was 17 years old, before the Ballon d’Ors, before the trophies, when he had only just broken into the FC Barcelona first team. He is not simply an incredible player; he is the longest partnership in our history, and the heart of everything Icons has become.

Across two decades and several signing sessions every year, we have watched that famous hand sign thousands of shirts, balls, boots and photographs. In 2014, together, we launched the first officially licensed memorabilia range ever created for an individual player, Official Lionel Messi Signed Memorabilia, and we have been his exclusive signed memorabilia partner throughout the era that took him from prodigy to world champion.

Some of those signatures now sit in collections on every continent. Every one of them tells the same story: an authentic connection to the greatest of all time, made in person, pen on fabric, the closest a fan can get to the moments he gave us.

The Shirts That Say Argentina


Leo will keep playing club football, and we will keep working alongside him as we always have. But the Argentina chapter is now complete, and the signed shirts, World Cup pieces and framed displays created across our partnership have become something new today: artefacts of a finished masterpiece.

From signed Argentina 2022 World Cup shirts to dual-signed displays alongside the next generation, the Official Lionel Messi Signed Collection is where that story lives on.

Gracias, Capitán. It has been the honour of our lifetime to sign alongside you.


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 →


A Fresh Look for Our Holograms, Same Trusted Authentication

New Icons Hologram
April 10, 2026
Uncategorized

At Icons.com, every piece of memorabilia we sell carries more than just a signature; it carries a promise. That promise has been represented for years by the tamper-evident hologram fixed to each item we authenticate, a small but vital marker that connects your collectable back to us and to the moment it was signed. Over the coming weeks, you’ll start to notice that the hologram looks a little different. We wanted to take a moment to explain why.

What’s changing

We’re rolling out a new hologram design across our range. It’s a visual refresh — updated finish, refined detailing, and a cleaner look that sits better alongside our current branding. You may see both the old and new holograms in circulation for a short period as we transition stock, and that’s completely normal. Items already in your collection remain exactly as authentic as the day you bought them. Nothing about their value, provenance, or certification changes.

What’s not changing

This is the important part: the process behind the hologram is identical to what it’s always been. Every item we sell is still signed in person at a private signing session attended by an Icons.com representative, photographed throughout, matched to a certificate of authenticity, and logged in our database. The hologram is simply one component of that wider process, part of our TripleLock™ authentication system, which combines in-person witnessing, photographic evidence, and a unique certificate reference so that every piece can be verified long after it leaves our hands.

In other words, we haven’t changed how we authenticate. We’ve just updated how the sticker looks.

Why now?

Authentication markers need to evolve. As print and security technology move on, so do the standards we hold ourselves to. Refreshing the hologram gives us a chance to bring the design in line with the rest of our brand while also taking advantage of improved materials. It’s a small step, but one that reflects the care we put into every stage of the process, from the signing room to the moment a piece arrives at your door.

For existing collectors

If you already own items authenticated under the previous hologram, there’s nothing you need to do. Your certificate of authenticity, your database record, and your piece’s provenance all remain fully valid and fully supported. Both the old and new holograms will be recognised by our team indefinitely, and any future verification requests or simple peace of mind will be handled exactly as they always have been.

Questions?

If you spot the new hologram on a recent purchase and want to double-check anything, our team is always happy to help. Drop us a line, and we’ll walk you through it.
customersupport@icons.com

As ever, thank you for trusting Icons.com with the pieces that mean the most to you. The look may be evolving, but the standards never will.


The Road to B Corp Status

The Road To B Corp Status
December 30, 2025
From Our CEO

The Road to B Corp Status: Icons Shop Ltd’s 10-Step Journey Toward Certified Sustainability
By Dan Jamieson, CEO

When we started Icons.com, our mission was to connect fans with authentic pieces of football history. But as we’ve grown, so has our responsibility to the communities and planet that make this beautiful game possible.

That’s why we’ve embarked on one of our most ambitious goals yet: achieving B Corp certification.

B Corp status isn’t just a logo; it’s one of the world’s most rigorous certifications for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Only companies that meet the highest verified standards earn it.

Our journey hasn’t been easy. From overhauling our supply chain and packaging to restructuring governance and employee wellbeing programs, we’ve transformed how we operate at every level. We’ve audited our carbon footprint, introduced community initiatives supporting grassroots football, and committed to full transparency in our impact reporting.

In the video above, I walk through all 10 steps we’ve taken, the challenges we faced, the changes we made, and why this matters for a sports memorabilia company.

Because if we’re going to profit from the sport that brings millions together, we have an obligation to operate with integrity, give back to communities, and protect the planet for future generations.

Watch the full journey above, and join us as we work toward certification.

For any enquiries or updates with B Corp, please contact customersupport@icons.com


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.


Win one of THREE shirts signed by Lionel Messi — with all-new TripleLock™ technology!

November 20, 2025
Giveaways & Competitions

It’s time for another world-famous giveaway! That’s right, we’ve once again teamed up with the one-and-only Lionel Messi for another internet-busting competition. This time we’re giving away THREE framed shirts signed by the iconic 2022 FIFA World Cup winner in association with the launch of Icons’ TripleLock™ technology!

The prizes up for grabs were all genuinely signed by Leo during private signing sessions conducted exclusively with Icons.com.

Depending on your entry you could be in with a chance of winning a signed and framed Argentina shirt, a signed and framed FC Barcelona shirt, OR a signed and framed Inter Miami CF shirt.

Best of all, all three of these shirts is guaranteed authentic by Icons’ brand new TripleLock™ technology, which Lionel Messi himself has described as “the next level of authenticity.” Click here to learn more about TripleLock™.

And, as ever, it could not be more simple to enter our giveaway. All you need to do to be in with a chance of taking home one of six signed and framed shirts is to get over to Leo’s official Instagram and/or Facebook page and follow the instructions below…

TO ENTER VIA INSTAGRAM:

1) Comment #IconsARG, #IconsFCB OR #IconsMIA on Messi’s official giveaway post
AND
2) Follow Icons.com’s official Instagram account

TO ENTER VIA FACEBOOK:

1) Comment #IconsARG, #IconsFCB OR #IconsMIA on Messi’s official giveaway post
AND
2) Follow Icons.com’s official Facebook page

The prizes come complete with official Certificates of Authenticity (COA) which have unique, individual photographic evidence of Messi signing the exact shirts in question as well as providing the date and location at which it was signed. You can also scan the new NFC tag on each of these products to access your individual digital vault of authenticity information.

We’ll draw all three winners completely at random from all valid entries – from Instagram, Facebook and Weibo – and announce the lucky names on the official Icons.com social media pages shortly after entries close. So keep your eyes peeled!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. The Promoter of this prize draw is Icons Shop Limited (registered in England under company number 06791294 and with its registered office at Unit 7, Airfield Industrial Estate, Airfield Way, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 3PE) (the “Promoter”).
  2. The Promoter is offering those who enter this promotion via Facebook a chance to win one of three prizes depending on their entry. The three separate prizes are 1x Lionel Messi Official Front Signed Inter Miami 2024 Home Shirt: MLS Supporters Shield Winner 2024 In Classic Frame (Icons.com SKU LMGM0005CF); Lionel Messi Official Front Signed and Framed Argentina 2022-23 Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 2022 FIFA World Cup Winner Stats Edition (Icons.com SKU LMGM0057CF); and 1x Lionel Messi Official Back Signed FC Barcelona 2018-19 Authentic Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 778 Appearances Edition (Icons.com SKU LMGM00010CF).
  3. The Promoter is offering those who enter this promotion via Instagram a chance to win one of three prizes depending on their entry. The three separate prizes are 1x Lionel Messi Official Front Signed Inter Miami 2024 Home Shirt: MLS Supporters Shield Winner 2024 In Classic Frame (Icons.com SKU LMGM0005CF); Lionel Messi Official Front Signed and Framed Argentina 2022-23 Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 2022 FIFA World Cup Winner Stats Edition (Icons.com SKU LMGM0057CF); and 1x Lionel Messi Official Back Signed FC Barcelona 2018-19 Authentic Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 778 Appearances Edition (Icons.com SKU LMGM00010CF).
  4. Multiple entries per person are permitted. Entries will be accepted on Facebook and Instagram only, provided they fit the entry criteria outlined in these terms and conditions. However, entries submitted on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed. Incomplete, illegible, misdirected or late entries will not be accepted.
  5. To enter this prize draw on Facebook to win the Lionel Messi Official Front Signed Inter Miami 2024 Home Shirt: MLS Supporters Shield Winner 2024 In Classic Frame, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Facebook account (@iconsfootball) and comment #IconsMIA. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  6. To enter this prize draw on Facebook to win the Lionel Messi Official Front Signed and Framed Argentina 2022-23 Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 2022 FIFA World Cup Winner Stats Edition, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Facebook account (@iconsfootball) and comment #IconsARG. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  7. To enter this prize draw on Facebook to win the Lionel Messi Official Back Signed FC Barcelona 2018-19 Authentic Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 778 Appearances Edition, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Facebook account (@iconsfootball) and comment #IconsFCB. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  8. To enter this prize draw on Instagram to win the Lionel Messi Official Front Signed Inter Miami 2024 Home Shirt: MLS Supporters Shield Winner 2024 In Classic Frame, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Instagram account (@icons_memorabilia) and comment #IconsMIA. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  9. To enter this prize draw on Instagram to win the Lionel Messi Official Front Signed and Framed Argentina 2022-23 Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 2022 FIFA World Cup Winner Stats Edition, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Instagram account (@icons_memorabilia) and comment #IconsARG. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  10. To enter this prize draw on Instagram to win the Lionel Messi Official Back Signed FC Barcelona 2018-19 Authentic Home Shirt In Classic Frame: 778 Appearances Edition, entrants must follow Icons.com’s official Instagram account (@icons_memorabilia) and comment #IconsFCB. Entrants will need to do both to validate their entry into the giveaway.
  11. The winners of the giveaway will be selected at random by Icons.com.
  12. No purchase is necessary to enter this promotion, however internet access is required.
  13. The prizes are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-exchangeable and there is no cash alternative offered.
  14. The Promoter reserves the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or circumstances outside its reasonable control, the Promoter reserves the right to modify or discontinue this promotion without prior notice, be it temporarily or permanently.
  15. The winners will be selected from all valid entries received during the promotional period. The draw will take place no later than fourteen days following the end of the promotional period.
  16. The winners will be notified within ten days of the draw via the social network platform on which they entered the competition. They will be asked to provide a postal address to which the prize will be sent. If a winner fails to respond and/or to give a valid address within five days of this notification, or declines their prize, a redraw will take place from the remaining valid entries to select a new winner (however, this five-day period may be extended at the Promoter’s sole discretion). If a winner declines their prize, or fails to respond within the required period, they forfeit any right to the prize.
  17. The prize will be sent via post to the address supplied within two weeks following provision of the winner(s)’s address in accordance with the T&Cs.
  18. The name and county of residence of the winner(s) will be made available on request to anyone sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to the Promoter as the address set out above within 10 weeks of the closing date of the promotion.
  19. The Promoter does not accept responsibility for network, computer or software failures of any kind and has no responsibility for lost, delayed or misdirected entries.
  20. The Promoter reserves the right to exclude any entries the Promoter in its sole discretion considers to be inappropriate, unrelated or offensive and to disqualify any entries if the Promoter, at its sole discretion, believes that there has been an attempt to manipulate or tamper with the operation of the promotion (including, without limitation, by setting up multiple email, Facebook or other social media accounts in order to submit multiple entries).
  21. By entering this competition you agree that the promoter may store and use the data you enter into this competition and contact you. You agree that the promoter may store and use any image and/or comment you post as your entry for this competition, and may use your name and competition entry in its social media channels and website (including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and icons.com), worldwide and without limit of time. You understand that you won’t have any right to preview or pre-approve the content (and, that you won’t be entitled to any kind of payment) in the event that it is used by Icons as noted above.
  22. Except for the purpose of carrying out the promotion, the Promoter will not use entrants’ personal data without the express consent of the entrant. See http://www.icons.com/about/help/privacy-policy.html for our full privacy policy.
  23. You agree to be bound by the decisions of the Promoter, which are final in all matters relating to the promotion. No correspondence will be entered into in respect of the Promoter’s decisions.
  24. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed exclusively in accordance with the laws of England and the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England, including the seeking of all injunctive or ancillary relief actions.

Visit the worldwide exclusive home of Lionel Messi signed memorabilia by visiting Icons.com today…

Follow Icons on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for all our latest posts, giveaways, special offers and more.


FROM OUR CEO: Messi Is In America. Now We Are Too.

June 18, 2025
Announcements From Our CEO

Icons.com was launched in 1999. To give you a sense of how long ago that was, Google had gone live just a few months prior. Back then, the plan was to share stories from the players themselves while simultaneously delivering the world’s best signed sports memorabilia from a tiny office in Camden in North London directly to the doors of fans all over the world.

Twenty-six years later, we’re still doing what we do best — though now from a state-of-the-art warehouse on the south coast of the UK. That said, we’ve long since left the business of blogging to others.

In 2010, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, we decided to make our first real push into America, having been appointed FIFA’s official memorabilia partner. We teamed up with a soccer-specific agency in the U.S., Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing, whose Managing Partner, Scott Hutchison, became our man on the ground. It was as much of a shame then as it is now that he was and is a Chelsea fan — but you can’t win them all.

I joined Scott and our chairman Edward on a two-week road trip across the States, meeting with brands, retailers and media partners. It was scrappy but exciting and full of potential. And it worked. Our U.S. presence was up and running.

Over the years, we built lasting partnerships, ran standout campaigns, supported thousands of customers, and made some unforgettable memories along the way.

Like the time in 2014 when Scott and I found ourselves in the away end at Anfield with our now Director of Sales, Ben (a Liverpool fan like me) just in time to watch Gerrard slip, Ba score, and Chelsea spoil what we thought would be a title-clinching day. Scott celebrated like José Mourinho; Ben and I kept our heads down. Brutal stuff.

Myself (centre), Scott Hutchison (left), and Ben Soley (right) at the infamous Liverpool v Chelsea clash of 2014
Scott Hutchison celebrates “like José” at Anfield in 2014

Those kinds of moments — the wins, the losses, the stories — are what make this more than just business. We’ve been at this together for a long time and there have been challenges.

Turns out running both iconsusa.com and icons.com was confusing search engines more than it was helping us so, sadly, our partnership with Gilt Edge came to a close. We needed a reset.

As the great Bill Shankly once said: “If you are first, you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.” We’ve always aimed to lead and now, with more experience and a sharper focus, we’re taking another shot at getting this right.

So, here we are: launching Icons Authentics USA. It’s a fully-incorporated U.S. business, led full-time by Scott. It marks a fresh start and a renewed commitment to the game in America.

Soccer in the U.S. is booming. It’s diverse, youthful, and it’s everywhere. The momentum isn’t just about the upcoming FIFA World Cup — which, at the time of writing kicks off in less than a year — it’s what comes after that truly matters.

And it’s fitting that our biggest icon, Leo Messi, now calls the U.S. his home too. As his exclusive global memorabilia partner, we’re ready to bring his story closer to American fans than ever before.

So, America, here’s what this means for you. You’ll still find us on Icons.com, but now you can shop in U.S. dollars, speak to a customer support team based in the U.S., and receive items shipped from within the States. That means no customs, no duties and no surprises. Just a faster, smoother service — and all the usual fully-fledged authenticity you expect from us.

We’ve been at this for 26 years. We’re not going anywhere. I’ll just need to get used to calling it “soccer” and wearing “cleats” not boots.

For U.S. enquiries and business-to-business opportunities call Scott Hutchison on 773-504-7788 or email him directly on scott@icons.com. For U.S. customer support, call 630-857-9043 or email customersupport@icons.com.


FROM OUR CEO: As Luis Enrique Proves, Authenticity Is Everything

June 6, 2025
From Our CEO

Authenticity is everything. Always.

Luis Enrique won the UEFA Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, becoming only the sixth man to win the title with two different teams. He’s a true icon of the game.

Eleven years ago I wrote “authenticity is everything” because without it we have nothing. This piece was about Icons.com as a brand and our endless quest to prove that our signed memorabilia products were and are genuinely signed by the world’s best and never faked.

Something else I said recently, when describing how we’ve survived in the shark-infested waters of football memorabilia for 26 years, was that we turn up on time, we pay our bills and we do what we say we will. Sadly, in the world of football, the bar can set very low for such things.

Looking back, I hadn’t appreciated just how much and how often we worry about the authenticity of our products, while striving to be authentic as people in all that we do.

Before our signing with the then one-time UEFA Champions League winner, we’d been told that Luis Enrique was quite a prickly personality and didn’t suffer fools gladly. So, as we climbed a mountain in a minibus in a nature reserve outside of Barcelona, and came upon a set of ornate iron gates, we were worried we were arriving little late.

We needn’t have been concerned as we were met by a handsome young man who helped us into the estate with a smile on his face. Enrique’s son, Pacho, offered us drinks, helped us with our cases and showed us into the office where the signing would take place. 

Luis arrived. To say he was friendly and welcoming is to underscore his charisma; he immediately smiled, hugged and welcomed every one of our team to his beautiful home in Finca. He carries a definite energy, a special “fuerza vital” or life force that lights up any room he’s in.  

The next two-hour signing session were to become my favourite of all the hundreds we have ever done. We barely talked football. We chatted about how he had completed the Marathon des Sables, the toughest running competition in the world; how he’d competed in ironman triathlons; how he had gone to Australia to clear his head and learn to surf post playing career; and how he had a new obsession: cycling. It was partly why he now lived with his family in a converted farm on a mountaintop. Because, as he put it, “it’s always uphill to get home.” 

Luis was out of work at the time, not knowing what the future would hold. But he was truly engaging and genuinely interested in us too. I found a common interest in the architecture of Alvar Aalto who had inspired my own family home built by my architecture parents and how Luis had battled for years to bring his crumbling Finca vision to life. It was a true challenge, he said.

This was not been his greatest challenge, however. Far from it.

His beloved daughter Xana had died after a battle with a rare form of bone cancer aged just nine. He’d quit his job with Spain to be with her and his family in their darkest hour. In a documentary about his life entitled You’ve No ****king Idea it’s remarkable how he reframes the worst possible outcome. 

“Can I consider myself lucky or unlucky?” Enrique says. “I consider myself to be lucky, very lucky. My daughter lived nine marvellous years with us. We’ve got a thousand memories of her, videos, incredible things.”

Enrique then continues: “My mother couldn’t keep photos of Xana until I arrived home and asked her “why aren’t there any photos of Xana, Mum?” ‘I can’t, I can’t’. “Mum, you have to put [photos of Xana] up”. Xana is alive. She isn’t in the physical plane, but she is in the spiritual plane. Because every day we talk about her, we laugh and remember.”

Famously he laughed, joked and played with Xana on the pitch after his FC Barcelona side won the UEFA Champions League — and the treble — in 2015. The most iconic image of the night is of Xana planting a massive Barca flag in the turf with his help.

In the press conference leading up to this year’s final he explained again how, while Xana could not be with him in person in Munich, she would be there in spirit. After Luis’s Paris Saint-Germain side won convincingly, the incredible, raucous PSG fans unveiled a massive tifo that moment. As authentic as ever, Luis described after that “my daughter has been with me since she left… I don’t need a win or a defeat in the Champions League: I feel it anyway.”

I wrote to his family the day after the final in Munich to say my own young boys were in tears after PSG beat our favourite team, Liverpool FC, in an earlier UEFA Champions League round. I’d explained to them about Luis, his beautiful family, his home and the journey they’d been on. “We should cheer for him now through the rest of the competition,” I told them. We all cheered when they won — me in the stadium, the boys watching at home. There were more tears.

Authenticity is always everything. Win, lose or draw. Being true to yourself, even when you lose everything, makes you a winner whatever happens.

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