Soccer players aren't just idols and exceptional athletes – many of them are also passionate, top-tier watch collectors. What Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic and company wear on their wrists regularly exceeds the value of an ordinary family home and ranks among the rarest pieces the watch industry has to offer. German soccer stars, too, can't resist the ticking allure. We take a look at the luxurious – and sometimes surprisingly down-to-earth – world of soccer players' watches.
A Living Legend with a Sparkling Taste: Cristiano Ronaldo
If you had to sum up the connection between professional soccer players and expensive watches in a single name, it would undoubtedly be Cristiano Ronaldo. When it comes to cars, the Portuguese megastar is into the 420 km/h top speed of his Bugatti Chiron; in the world of watches, the record-breaking player is above all thrilled by diamonds. Lots of diamonds. His 18-karat white gold Rolex GMT-Master II, for instance, is fully paved with hundreds of brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and bracelet, adding up to a hefty 30 carats. Price tag: well over €400,000. For Ronaldo, that's not even the top of the range, as his Bulgari Octo with tourbillon and full baguette diamonds for around €650,000 demonstrates. At one press conference, the soccer great even wore a timepiece whose full setting of red and white diamonds accounts for an incredible value of €1.6 million: the Franck Muller 7008 T INV C INV R.
German National Team: What Do Schweinsteiger and Jérôme Boateng Wear?
If you think soccer stars' watches only reach six-figure sums in exceptional cases, think again. German stars also dig deep into their pockets for timepieces, as Bastian Schweinsteiger demonstrates: the longtime FC Bayern Munich midfielder appeared at the 2016 Bambi Awards wearing a gold Patek Philippe Grand Complications 5204R, which sells for a quarter of a million euros. That puts Schweinsteiger right behind Ronaldo by international comparison.
His former national teammate Jérôme Boateng, who apparently has a soft spot for gold Rolex watches, comes across as comparatively modest. On Instagram, the West Berlin-born center back and fullback showed off a Sky-Dweller Ref. 326938 – the most technically sophisticated masterpiece from the Geneva luxury brand – for around €42,000.
Gold Pateks from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Virgil van Dijk
Certain brands such as Patek Philippe turn up regularly among soccer players' watches. Besides Schweinsteiger, Zlatan Ibrahimovic also seems to be a fan of the high-end manufacture, as his coveted rose gold Nautilus 5980/1R-001 suggests. With waiting times of up to 12 years, the sporty Nautilus is the most sought-after watch in the upper luxury segment, which is why its actual price is nearly three times the manufacturer's official asking price of €83,000. What the Swedish striker likes, Virgil van Dijk is just as happy to strap on: the Dutch defender likes to appear in public with his white gold Aquanaut 5168-G, Patek's "entry-level model" in the sports segment. On the open market, this comparatively understated model isn't available for less than €70,000.
Hublot: From Kylian Mbappé to Jose Mourinho
As we'll see later, soccer stars' favorite watches come disproportionately often from a brand known for anything but restraint: Hublot. The Swiss manufacturer has learned to reinforce its strong association with the sport through brand ambassadors of no lesser prominence than Kylian Mbappé. Because his face is extremely valuable to the watch brand, the French national team player probably didn't pay for his extravagant Big Bang King Gold Rainbow (entirely) himself. It isn't the gold-platinum alloy of this rarity, priced at nearly €100,000, but its colorful gemstones in a rainbow pattern that are the real eye-catcher. Star coach Jose Mourinho was also active as a Hublot brand ambassador and had the honor of presenting a Limited Edition of the Big Bang collection named after him.
[box type="info" align="" class="" width=""]By the way: even referees rely on timepieces from this extroverted manufacture while on the job. For the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Hublot's designers unveiled a special smartwatch ("Big Bang Referee") whose connection to goal-line technology made it the ideal referee's watch.[/box]
Jürgen Klopp and Mats Hummels Keep It Down-to-Earth
Soccer players' watches don't always have to be outrageously expensive, as legendary coach Jürgen Klopp proves. The Stuttgart native's diverse collection does include luxury models with five-figure price tags, such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore, but he's not above wearing a down-to-earth Casio G-Shock either.
Mats Hummels doesn't need sky-high prices on his wrist to be happy either: the popular Borussia Dortmund center back is the face of TAG Heuer, which is why he's seen in public wearing chronographs from the Monaco and Autavia collections as well as other watches from the sporty brand. No wonder – after all, TAG Heuer stands for the same composure and calm that Hummels embodies.
David Beckham Promotes Tudor
David Beckham also shows that soccer stars can appreciate "normal" luxury watches. In 2004, Time magazine named the English style icon one of the world's 100 most influential people, which is why Tudor certainly didn't pay the successful ambassador a bargain price for their latest partnership.
Rolex's more affordable sister brand has – much like Beckham during his career – worked on steadily improving itself in recent years and increasingly equips its timepieces with in-house movements. As a brand ambassador, the former midfielder wears various models from the brand, but two watches have especially won him over: the Black Bay Bronze with its unique patina and the Black Bay Chrono.
Pelé and Maradona: The Immortals' Favorite Brand
Ask soccer experts who the greatest player of all time is, and Pelé's name comes up especially often. "I was the best" is one of the Brazilian's most famous quotes – and probably an accurate description of reality, too. In his watch collection, the now 81-year-old has a clear preference: Hublot. He proudly promotes the Swiss brand for years, which in return dedicates a Pelé Limited Edition of the Classic Fusion to him in his jersey colors of black and yellow. Featuring a stylized signature of the living legend on the caseback, the watch ranks among the greatest horological highlights for die-hard soccer fans.
The "Hand of God" himself, Diego Maradona, who passed away in 2020, also had a preference for Hublot's luxury watches, which he often showed off two at a time – one piece on his left wrist, another on his right. As with Pelé, the manufacturer honored him with a special edition: the 250 pieces of the Big Bang Limited Edition Maradona with Argentine blue accents are a true trophy on today's collector's market.
