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Top 24 Footballer Fashion Icons of All Time

By YPB Team

Football has produced some of the most stylish men on the planet. From David Beckham's trendsetting outfits and George Best's rock-star swagger to Paul Pogba's runway-ready looks — which footballer has the most iconic fashion legacy of all time?

  1. David Beckham — ranked #11
    David Beckham
    The ultimate crossover between football and fashion — Beckham turned every press conference into a runway show, collaborated with the world's top brands, and permanently redefined what a footballer could look like.
    1000pts
  2. Freddie Ljungberg — ranked #22
    Freddie Ljungberg
    The Arsenal winger's red-streaked haircut and Calvin Klein underwear campaigns of the mid-2000s made him one of the first footballers to front a global fashion brand.
    750pts
  3. Ronaldo Nazário — ranked #33
    Ronaldo Nazário
    R9's off-pitch wardrobe combined tropical Brazilian colour with 2000s blinged-up excess — a time-capsule look as memorable as his football.
    700pts
  4. Cristiano Ronaldo — ranked #44
    Cristiano Ronaldo
    Ronaldo's obsessively curated, suit-heavy wardrobe and brand empire have made him one of the highest-grossing athlete-fashion collaborators in history.
    625pts
  5. Carlos Valderrama — ranked #55
    Carlos Valderrama
    El Pibe's enormous blond afro is perhaps the most recognisable hairstyle in football history, a look that defined Colombia at three World Cups.
    625pts
  6. Roberto Baggio — ranked #66
    Roberto Baggio
    Il Divin Codino's ponytail became a 1990s icon, so famous it gave the Italian forward his nickname.
    566pts
  7. Thierry Henry — ranked #77
    Thierry Henry
    Henry's understated tailoring and on-pitch trademarks — gloves, long sleeves and socks pulled over the knee — made him a style reference of the 2000s Premier League.
    566pts
  8. Mohamed Salah — ranked #88
    Mohamed Salah
    The Egyptian King's sleek suits and GQ cover shoots have transformed his image from football workhorse to polished global style icon.
    500pts
  9. Dominic Calvert-Lewin — ranked #99
    Dominic Calvert-Lewin
    The Everton striker's painted nails, pearl necklaces and bold tailoring brought gender-fluid fashion into the mainstream of the Premier League.
    500pts
  10. Kylian Mbappé — ranked #1010
    Kylian Mbappé
    The Paris-born superstar's Parisian streetwear sensibility and collaborations with Nike and Dior have made him the reigning style icon of modern football.
    500pts
  11. Neymar Jr. — ranked #1111
    Neymar Jr.
    Paris fashion weeks, Louis Vuitton campaigns and bold hair-and-tattoo combos — Neymar has built a personal brand that rivals any of his Ballon d'Or rivals.
    500pts
  12. Pelé — ranked #1212
    Pelé
    The Brazilian legend brought a dignified, tailored elegance to public appearances that elevated the image of footballers as cultural ambassadors globally.
    423pts
  13. Roberto Carlos — ranked #1313
    Roberto Carlos
    The Brazilian full-back's vibrant, colourful off-pitch wardrobe and gold accessories embodied the joyful flamboyance of the late-1990s football fashion peak.
    423pts
  14. Memphis Depay — ranked #1414
    Memphis Depay
    Depay's flamboyant streetwear, statement coats and own fashion and music ventures have made him a constant presence in football style coverage.
    423pts
  15. Andrea Pirlo — ranked #1515
    Andrea Pirlo
    The Italian maestro's effortlessly cool rolled-sleeves-and-sunglasses look became so recognisable it spawned a thousand memes — smart casual perfected.
    423pts
  16. George Best — ranked #1616
    George Best
    The Belfast Boy was the original footballer-celebrity, photographed in boutique mod fashion and sharp suits throughout the 1960s and 1970s, decades before 'footballer style' existed as a concept.
    423pts
  17. Ruud Gullit — ranked #1717
    Ruud Gullit
    Gullit's dreadlocks and moustache made him one of the most recognisable looks of the late 1980s as the frontman of the great Milan and Dutch sides.
    333pts
  18. Jack Grealish — ranked #1818
    Jack Grealish
    Grealish's slicked-back hair, headband and socks rolled down to his ankles made his on-pitch look instantly recognisable and earned him a Gucci campaign.
    333pts
  19. Paul Pogba — ranked #1919
    Paul Pogba
    The French midfielder's outlandish colour-blocked suits and custom jewellery in the late 2010s made him the most talked-about dresser in the Premier League.
    333pts
  20. Zlatan Ibrahimović — ranked #2020
    Zlatan Ibrahimović
    Ibrahimović's man bun, tattoos and long dark coats created a larger-than-life image to match his acrobatic goals.
    333pts
  21. Héctor Bellerín — ranked #2121
    Héctor Bellerín
    The Spanish right-back turned Arsenal's Emirates Stadium into a fashion week venue, working with designers like Kenzo and Burberry to become the most genuinely fashion-forward player of the 2010s.
    333pts
  22. Paolo Maldini — ranked #2222
    Paolo Maldini
    Maldini's sharp tailoring and long hair made him a lasting symbol of Milanese elegance, and he co-founded the Sweet Years clothing brand with Christian Vieri.
    333pts
  23. Jules Koundé — ranked #2323
    Jules Koundé
    The France defender's bold tunnel outfits and fondness for jewellery made him one of football's most experimental dressers of the 2020s.
    227pts
  24. Johan Cruyff — ranked #2424
    Johan Cruyff
    The Dutch master wore puma shirts, flared trousers and an effortless cool that made him look like a European art-house film director rather than a footballer.
    227pts

Photo credits

Comments 1

Dior made him a global ambassador in 2021 and the first face of its Anderson menswear in 2025; Beckham is in the field: https://youpick.best/articles/kylian-mbappe-ranked-every-way

YP
ypb-team
Aug 21