Key facts
- Socceroos players were seen carrying luxury designer bags from brands like Goyard, Louis Vuitton, and Dior.
- This trend reflects a growing influence of high-end fashion in international sports, mirroring practices in leagues like the NBA.
- The players' choice of designer accessories contrasts with their practical and accessible official suits from MJ Bale.
- Experts suggest this shift indicates an evolving off-field style and a greater embrace of fashion by the athletes.
The Socceroos, Australia's national football team, have been observed elevating their off-field style by accessorizing with luxury designer bags. As the team arrived in Vancouver for a match against Turkey, players like Tete Yengi and Mo Touré were seen carrying what appeared to be Goyard pouches, a brand favored by athletes globally. Other players were spotted with accessories from Louis Vuitton and Dior, signaling a growing trend in high-end fashion within the sport.
Esquire Australia's head of content, Benjamen Judd, noted the significant evolution in the team's style, contrasting their current designer bags with more basic options previously used. Susie Thompson, partnerships and communications manager at MJ Bale, the brand that supplied the Socceroos' suits, commented that these luxury accessories represent the players' personal flair and emulate the pre-game fashion displays seen in other sports, such as basketball.
Thompson referred to these moments as "tunnel moments," where athletes use their arrival as a fashion runway. She expressed pride in seeing the Socceroos align with international luxury brands. Judd further elaborated that football is beginning to rival the NBA in its fashion influence, with players, fans, and brands embracing this trend. He cited examples of international players sporting expensive items, like Austrian captain David Alaba with a $70,000 Birkin bag and France's Marcus Thuram with a limited-edition Chanel speedy.
However, Judd also pointed out that Australian players may not yet reach the same level of opulence as their international counterparts. While acknowledging the "nice" Goyard bags seen, he described some pouches as "really simple," resembling airline business class bags. He noted that Australian players lack personal stylists, unlike many top international stars. The team's official suits, made from Australian merino wool by MJ Bale, were described as practical and accessible, embodying a more humble approach to fashion that Judd found "genius" and reflective of Australian athletes' relationship with style.
Judd suggested that this more grounded approach is also influenced by the fact that Australian soccer stars generally earn substantially less than their international peers.