Star players from Haaland to Yamal showcased six-figure handbags, cementing a shift in how men display wealth and style.
This summer's FIFA World Cup sparked fierce competition beyond the pitch—a global contest for bag supremacy among football's biggest names. Several star players arrived at airports and stadiums carrying luxury handbags with price tags exceeding most mortgage payments.
Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Virgil van Dijk each stepped off planes with high-end designer bags. Spanish teenage sensation Lamine Yamal turned heads by carrying multiple statement pieces through stadiums, including a Dior Archie and an oversized tweed Chanel shopping tote.
Yet Norway's Erling Haaland dominated the conversation. The striker, described as Viking-like in stature, captured attention across social media for his collection of rare Hermès HAC bags. These elongated designs represent the French house's predecessor to the coveted Birkin, and Haaland's rotation of them earned him the unofficial title of golden man bag winner.
Together, these athletes have elevated what observers call the Age of Bag Enlightenment to unprecedented levels. Their public displays of six-figure accessories signal a broader cultural shift in how male celebrities and athletes communicate status, moving luxury handbags from traditionally female-coded fashion into mainstream masculine style territory.