Watches Spotted at the World Cup – Mbappé, Messi, Ronaldo, Kane and Others
The FIFA World Cup is football’s biggest stage, bringing together the world’s best players for a month of unforgettable moments. Off the pitch, the watch spotting has been almost as entertaining. From Richard Mille and Hublot to Patek Philippe and Rolex, the watches spotted at the World Cup offer a glimpse into the collecting habits and personal style of some of the sport’s biggest stars. Here are some of the best World Cup watches seen on the wrists of Messi, Ronaldo, Haaland, Mbappé and others.
Harry Kane’s World Cup Watches
England captain Harry Kane has long established himself as one of the world’s elite strikers. The Bayern Munich forward is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer and continues to lead England’s attack at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kane has been responsible for some of the more interesting watches spotted at the World Cup, rotating between a limited-edition Patek Philippe and a now-discontinued Rolex.
The first is the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5610/1P-001, a 50th anniversary limited edition produced in 2,000 pieces. Crafted in platinum, the watch measures 38mm in diameter and just 6.9mm thick, with a sunburst blue horizontally embossed dial, a diamond set at 9 o’clock, and the ultra-thin self-winding Caliber 240 inside. Unlike many headline-making modern Nautilus references, this one keeps things simple with hours and minutes only.
Kane has also been seen wearing the Rolex Day-Date 36 “Puzzle Dial” in 18k white gold. Introduced in 2023, the watch replaces the traditional day display with inspirational words such as “Hope,” “Love,” and “Peace,” while the date window cycles through a series of colorful emojis instead of numerals. Paired with a vibrant jigsaw puzzle dial, it’s one of the most unconventional watches Rolex has produced in recent years.
Leo Messi’s World Cup Watches
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi needs little introduction. The Argentine captain finally completed football’s ultimate achievement by lifting the World Cup in 2022, and he returned to the sport’s biggest stage in 2026 as one of its defining figures. Among the most impressive watches spotted at the World Cup are Messi’s pair of precious-metal Rolex Day-Dates.
The first is the off-catalog Rolex Day-Date 36 ref. 128239-0083 in 18k white gold, distinguished by its striking turquoise dial and baguette-cut blue sapphire hour markers. This configuration isn’t part of the standard catalog, making it one of the more elusive modern Rolex references.
Messi has also been seen wearing the Rolex Day-Date 40 ref. 228235JG in Jubilee Gold, Rolex’s new proprietary 18k gold alloy introduced in 2026. Developed and manufactured in-house, Jubilee Gold combines subtle tones of yellow, gray, and pink to create a softer, more understated appearance than traditional yellow gold. The watch pairs the new alloy with a green aventurine dial set with baguette-cut diamond hour markers.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup Watches
Few athletes have assembled a luxury watch collection quite like Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain has spent years collecting some of the rarest and most extravagant timepieces on the market, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been no exception. During the tournament, Ronaldo has been spotted wearing both a diamond-set Patek Philippe Nautilus and one of Rolex’s most coveted gem-set Daytonas.
Among the watches Ronaldo has been wearing, the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5811/1460G-001 — an iced-out interpretation of the brand’s flagship sports watch — is hard to ignore. Crafted in 18k white gold, the watch is set with hundreds of brilliant-cut diamonds across the case, bracelet, and bezel, while the dial is fully paved with diamonds and finished with baguette-cut diamond hour markers.
Ronaldo has also been seen wearing the Rolex Daytona Rainbow in 18k yellow gold. One of the Crown’s most sought-after modern references, it pairs a bezel set with graduated rainbow-colored sapphires with a diamond-paved dial and diamond-set lugs. Produced in extremely limited numbers, the Rainbow Daytona has become one of Rolex’s most collectible contemporary watches, combining the Daytona’s legendary chronograph with some of the brand’s most elaborate gem-setting work.
Kylian Mbappé’s World Cup Watches
As one of football’s biggest stars and a long-time Hublot ambassador, it isn’t surprising that Kylian Mbappé has been wearing the Swiss brand throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The French captain has recently been spotted with both the Hublot Big Bang King Gold Integrated Bracelet Chronograph and the far rarer Big Bang Unico Ahmed Seddiqi 75th Anniversary, showing two very different sides of Hublot’s modern catalog.
One of Mbappé’s go-to pieces is the Hublot Big Bang King Gold Integrated Bracelet Chronograph, a 42mm chronograph crafted entirely from the brand’s proprietary 18k King Gold alloy. Introduced as the first Big Bang to feature a fully integrated metal bracelet, the model pairs polished and satin-brushed surfaces with Hublot’s signature six-screw bezel and open-worked dial.
Mbappé has also been seen wearing the Hublot Big Bang Unico Ahmed Seddiqi 75th Anniversary Titanium Grey, one of just 25 pieces created to celebrate the Dubai retailer’s 75th anniversary. While the architecture remains familiar, the limited edition contrasts a lightweight titanium case with King Gold pushers and crown, complemented by a rhodium-plated carbon-effect skeleton dial and Eastern Arabic numerals.
Neymar Jr.’s World Cup Watches
Although Neymar Jr. missed Brazil’s World Cup clash against Morocco through injury, he was still making headlines off the pitch. Long known for his eclectic watch collection, the Brazilian star has been spotted during the tournament wearing a gem-set Rolex and an extravagant Jacob & Co.
During Brazil’s match against Morocco, Neymar was seen wearing the Rolex Lady-Datejust ref. 279458RBR. The watch is crafted in 18k yellow gold and features a diamond-paved dial, diamond-set bezel, and diamond-set President bracelet. It’s a full gem-set Lady-Datejust, which makes it a very Neymar choice: flashy, jewelry-forward, and not especially concerned with traditional “men’s watch” rules.
During the tournament, Neymar also shared photos from Jacob & Co.’s New York boutique alongside founder Jacob Arabo, where he took delivery of the spectacular Jacob & Co. Astronomia Dragon & Tiger. Valued at nearly $1 million, the watch is crafted in 18k white gold and set with 286 baguette-cut diamonds. True to the Astronomia collection, the movement serves as a rotating mechanical display, while hand-sculpted dragon and tiger figures symbolize strength, courage, wisdom, and balance. It’s exactly the kind of over-the-top, high-complication watch that has become synonymous with Neymar’s collecting style.
Mohamed Salah’s World Cup Watches
Liverpool forward and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah doesn’t seem to stray far from Richard Mille. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he has been spotted wearing two very different models: the RM 74-02 Automatic Tourbillon and the RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat.
Introduced in 2025, the Richard Mille RM 74-02 Automatic Tourbillon Gold Quartz TPT watch pairs the brand’s proprietary Gold Quartz TPT composite case with a skeletonized automatic tourbillon movement. The material combines ultra-thin layers of quartz fibers with 22k rose gold leaf, creating a distinctive marbled appearance that’s unique to every watch. Inside is the in-house CRMT5 caliber, featuring a variable-geometry rotor, free-sprung balance, and approximately 50 hours of power reserve.
Salah has also been spotted wearing the Richard Mille RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat in the orange-and-black colorway developed for Lando Norris. At just 7.8mm thick and weighing only around 32 grams, including its elastic strap, the RM 67-02 is Richard Mille’s lightest automatic watch, powered by the skeletonized CRMA7 automatic caliber.
Erling Haaland’s World Cup Watches
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is a Breitling ambassador, so it’s no surprise that the Norwegian forward has been wearing the brand throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. During the tournament, he has been spotted with both of his recently launched signature Chronomat limited editions, while also sharing another high-end Breitling on social media.
One of the watches Haaland has worn is the Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 “Erling Haaland” Limited Edition. Limited to 500 pieces, the 40mm watch pairs a stainless steel case with a platinum bezel and is powered by the Breitling Caliber 32 automatic GMT movement. Personal touches include Haaland’s initials on the central seconds hand and a sapphire caseback engraved with his signature goal celebration, “ONE OF 500,” and his number 9. Buyers can choose between a stainless steel rouleaux bracelet or a black rouleaux-style rubber strap — he’s been wearing the rubber strap variant.
Haaland has also been spotted wearing the Breitling Chronomat B01 42 “Erling Haaland” Limited Edition. Produced in just 250 examples, this version upgrades the case to 18k red gold while retaining the same meteorite dial found on the GMT model. Inside is Breitling’s in-house Caliber 01 automatic chronograph movement, visible through the sapphire caseback engraved with “ONE OF 250” and Haaland’s number 9. Like the GMT, the chronograph features Haaland’s initials on the central chronograph seconds hand and is available on either an 18k red gold rouleaux bracelet or a black rubber strap.
Away from his signature models, Haaland also shared a photo on X wearing the Breitling Premier B21 Chronograph Tourbillon 42 Willy Breitling. This version features a 42mm platinum case, blue dial, and black alligator strap with an 18k white gold folding clasp.
Christian Pulisic’s World Cup Watches
As the face of American soccer, Christian Pulisic carries much of the expectation surrounding the United States’ World Cup campaign. The AC Milan forward and USMNT captain has been central to the Americans’ run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and off the pitch he’s been spotted wearing two particularly collectible Patek Philippe references.
The headline piece is the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711/111P-001, one of the rarest modern Nautilus models ever produced. Crafted in platinum, it features a bezel set with 32 baguette-cut blue sapphires and is typically paired with an anthracite dial. Pulisic’s example, however, is the ultra-rare white dial variant, believed by collectors to exist in only around five examples.
Pulisic has also been wearing a vintage Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5060J, one of the earliest Aquanaut references and a watch that looks markedly different from the modern collection. Introduced in 1996, the 5060J was crafted in 18k yellow gold and paired with a leather strap rather than the rubber straps that would later define the Aquanaut. It also featured applied Roman numerals, another design element that disappeared as the collection evolved. Produced only briefly,the 5060J remains one of the most unusual and collectible early Aquanaut references.
World Cup 2026 Watches
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has already delivered one of the most entertaining tournaments in recent memory. For watch enthusiasts like us, the watches spotted at the World Cup have added another layer of entertainment, giving us plenty of opportunities to identify rare references, discover new favorites, and occasionally be surprised by what turns up on a player’s wrist.
And with the tournament still unfolding, there’s every chance we’ll spot a few more grail-worthy pieces before the final whistle.
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