What Watch does your favourite football star like to wear?

FIFA’s happening, everyone’s caught the football fever, and with every passing day, we’re watching how the phrase “Expect the Unexpected” has reached a whole new level of meaning. While we understand that the finals between France and Croatia are going to be even more thrilling and nail-biting, let’s try and lighten up your mood by taking a look at the watch brands that are also making the football news.

Football, or every game for that matter, is quite legibly, dependent upon a time-based scoring system. Epic decisions have been made on the basis of referee’s time board which was developed by Hublot in collaboration with FIFA. The board, which is used by officials to display the supplemental time periods and flag player substitutions, was designed to mimic the look of the Big Bang Unico FIFA WC Official Watch. The adrenaline rushes, the time-outs, everything contributing to one single factor – time – with Hublot being the “Official Timekeeper” of FIFA.

Unlike in other sports, football players have always had a much freer rein on their choice of wrist bling. Let’s take a look up close and find out what brilliant mechanic marvel adorns the wrist of your favourite footballer and the symbiotic relationship between the finest luxury watch brands and the top football players.

1. Lionel Messi
How can we not start a list with the God of Football himself, Lionel Messi? Born and raised in central Argentina, he has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won 32 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and six Copas del Rey. Messi is quite the watch fanatic and has a fabulous collection of watches that is every horologist’s dream. He even helped design his limited-edition watch - Royal Oak Leo Messi - Audemars Piguet - in 2012.

2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic isn't just a household name in America, he is one of world’s most acclaimed athlete. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest players to ever dignify the beautiful game. Throughout his career spanning almost two decades, Zlatan has lead the historic clubs of Malmo (in his home country of Sweden), Ajax (Netherlands), Juventus (Italy), Inter Milan (Italy where he was named the UEFA Team of the Year in both 2007 and 2009.), Barcelona (Spain), AC Milan (Italy), PSG (France) and Manchester United (England) to glory. Zlatan, although admittedly not much of a watch-buff still holds a brilliant watch collection, but his favourite amongst all, that he’s worn in public is the - Rolex Yacht Master Everose 40 mm - an exquisite timepiece.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is a professional footballer who plays for Italian club Juventus and the Portugal national team. Ronaldo's recently transfer to Juventus is considered one of the most expensive transfers of all time. Ronaldo has always been a brand ambassador for TAG Heuer; he even designed a special Connected Watch in signature green. Other Tag Heuer Cristiano Ronaldo watches include the Tag Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph, the Tag Heuer Aquaracer, and the Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre HEUER 01 Automatic Chronograph.

4. Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre back, and current television pundit for BT Sport. He played 81 times for the England national team between 1997 and 2011 and was a member of three FIFA World Cup squads. He is believed to be one of England's greatest players and one of the brightest English footballers of all time. Rio, unlike most other Football players though, is very laid back when it comes to choosing his watch. He is mostly seen wearing a Franck Muller Conquistador - which is elegance impersonified and has reminders of the thirties.

5. Harry Kane
“Hurricane” Harry Edward Kane is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and captains the England national team. Did you know that in 2015, Hublot created a limited-edition Tottenham Hotspur-inspired watch, in celebration of his brilliant year with the English Premier league? Kane scored 30 goals in all competitions that season for Tottenham, with 20 coming in the Premier League, while he also won PFA Young Player of the Year and scored on his England debut. The Guardian ranked Kane the fifth-best footballer on the planet in 2017. He’s also been often spotted wearing a Classic Gold Rolex Daytona.

Top watch brands matched with top-performing athletes go hand in hand. It will be interesting to see how these partnerships – many of them already longstanding – last and continue to mutually benefit when the 2018 World Cup comes to a finish. Until then enjoy the finale game!

So, who’s your favorite Football hero and which watch do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below - and if you’re looking to buy a Swiss luxury watch, do reach out to us. Established in 2011, the Phoenix Watch Company specializes in the sales of luxury watches in partnership with our company in Europe in operation for well over 20 years. Located in the center of the busy shopping and tourist district of Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong and our core expertise is the sale of new and used watches belonging to some of the best Swiss brands that we spoke about earlier.

Please direct all enquiries to info@phoenixwatch.hk.