Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the classiest players to have graced a football pitch. Between them, they’ve collected 12 Ballon d’Ors.
But genius doesn’t guarantee success when it comes to kitting themselves out.
The “Golden Shoe” is often on the other foot when dress sense is the name of the game. Here we tackle 10 of football’s worst fashion own goals.
No 10 - Cristiano Ronaldo
He may be the greatest goalscorer of all time but Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus legend Cristiano Ronaldo was guilty of a glaring miss with a multi-coloured mess of a sweater when he first signed for United in 2003.
No 9 - David Beckham
There was no skirting around the media storm when the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star stepped out in a sarong during England’s 1998 World Cup campaign. But a matching double-leather combo in 1999 was a real stinker from Becks and wife Victoria.
No 8 - Lionel Messi
The Argentine's career is full of football’s glittering prizes. But while his dazzling skills have lit up the world’s pitches, the shiny red suit he wore to the 2014 Ballon d’Or award ceremony had us reaching for the shades.
No 7 - Liverpool
Ah, yes, the original and some would say still the best football fashion foul – Liverpool’s white suits at the 1996 FA Cup final were a real loser. Needless to say, they went on to be beaten by Manchester United. A timeless classic.
No 6 - Hector Bellerin
Arsenal’s Spanish right-back, who spent last season on loan at Real Betis, got into a bit of a tactical mess with a get-up of bucket hat, fur-collared mac and pin-striped strides at London Fashion Week in 2019.
No 5 - Neymar
The Paris Saint-Germain star is the golden boy of Brazilian football. But the outlandish rig of silk jacket, baggy shorts and dodgy hat donned by football’s €222 million ($248.1m) record transfer was a world-class howler.
No 4 - Erling Haaland
Manchester City's £51 million ($63m) signing from Bayern Munich donned a garish suit that looked uncannily like it was in the red, white and black colours of his new club's bitter crosstown rivals United. Is there something you're not telling us, Erling?
No 3 - Tom Davies
Difficult to guess what was going through the Everton midfielder’s mind when he woke up in the morning and thought that a dressing-gown, cravat and pointy purple shoe ensemble was a knock-out for New York Fashion Week in 2020.
No 2 - Mario Balotelli
Why always him? The Italian has bagged a few hat-tricks in his time but the former Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan star outdid himself with this hilarious headgear. His “chicken” hat from 2010 certainly ruffled a few feathers.
No 1 - Kalvin Phillips
The Leeds United and England midfielder is one of the most sought-after players in the Premier League and beyond but his "Quaver" boots were more likely to leave a bad taste in the mouth than to have fans hungry for more.
