Soccer’s Biggest Jewelry Trends From Lionel Messi’s DNA Ring to Kylian Mbappé’s Dog Tag
As the biggest soccer stars on the planet compete on the global stage in the World Cup, many fan favorites have attracted attention for their off-pitch styles as well. And the jewelry generating the strongest fan response at the 2026 FIFA World Cup isn’t necessarily the most expensive.
A recent study by A Diamond Is Forever has ranked the athletes generating the biggest style buzz with their accessories.
Here’s who made the list of soccer’s most stylish players.
No. 5: Christian Pulisic’s crucifix
Christian Pulisic is known for wearing a crucifix necklace, which is a family heirloom given to him by his mother. The necklace is more than an accessory; it’s a source of strength, a sign of faith, and a way to keep loved ones close both on and off the field.
He previously told GQ out of all his jewelry, “This is the most special one to me because my mom gave me this, and I pretty much have it on all the time. It makes me feel like I have God [and my mom] with me all the time.”
The AC Milan star scores 100% positive social media sentiment and 10/10 on symbolic relevance, the highest of any player in the study on both. He has lower search numbers and mentions, but the quality of response is unmatched.
No. 4: Kylian Mbappé’s dog tag
Kylian Mbappé’s signature dog tag necklace is a personalized, diamond-studded piece featuring his initials, “KM.” It is a staple in his personal jewelry collection and is frequently seen off the pitch as part of his fashion-forward, avant-garde style.
The Real Madrid star scores on luxury association and search interest rather than volume. His 1.45 million annual searches and 900 luxury jewelry mentions are concentrated around a small number of high-profile pieces, which keeps his luxury quotient strong.
No. 3: Vinícius Júnior’s watches
Vinícius Júnioris is known for an ultra-luxury, flashy watch collection worth millions of dollars. His rotation heavily features high-end models from Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and Jacob & Co.
One of the most spectacular and expensive pieces in the Real Madrid forward’s collection is the Jacob & Co. Opera Godfather “Black DLC.” It’s valued at roughly $435,000 (over R$ 2.4 million).
Viní ranks on sentiment and cultural momentum. His 54% positive social media sentiment is the highest of any non-European player in the study.
No. 2: Cristiano Ronaldo’s high-carat collection
Cristiano Ronaldo’s style is rooted in luxury, and he is known for his love of high-end watches and diamond jewelry.
Ronaldo’s collection spans Jacob & Co, Rolex, and Hublot. He’s also been seen wearing Messika’s Akh-Ba-Ka brooch, a rare 33-carat natural diamond cut from a 110-carat rough stone found in Botswana, as well as the Parisian high-jewelry house’s So Pavé stud in 19-carat white gold.
Ronaldo generated 213,600 total mentions in the past year, more than double any other player, alongside 194,400 social media mentions and a 10/10 luxury quotient.
No. 1: Lionel Messi’s DNA ring
Lionel Messi and his wife, Antonela, own matching, custom-made “DNA rings” crafted by the luxury jeweler MJ Jones. Designed as a unique, non-traditional alternative to standard wedding bands, the rings are engraved with each other’s actual DNA profiles to symbolize their deep, personal bond.
The bespoke his-and-hers DNA rings reflect the couple’s preference for deeply personal, out-of-the-box jewelry. They often favor these pieces–or meaningful body art, like their matching roman numeral wedding date tattoos–over traditional multi-carat diamond rings.
Messi scores 10/10 across media mentions, search volume and fan inspiration impact, with 80,300 social media mentions in the past year and the highest fan inspiration impact score in the study.
