Football's New Style Essential? The Bag

For years, men's luxury fashion focused heavily on watches, trainers and tailoring. Bags were often treated as purely practical travel accessories. Football's current generation is changing that conversation.

Airport arrivals, team travel and tunnel style have become their own fashion moments, and the right bag is now central to the look. Some players favour structured Hermès leather goods. Others reach for oversized Chanel totes, compact Dior pouches, Bottega Veneta messengers or traditional Louis Vuitton and Gucci duffles.

What makes the World Cup style conversation particularly interesting is that there isn't one dominant silhouette. The modern men's designer bag wardrobe is becoming increasingly personal, with players choosing pieces based on how they travel, what they carry and how they dress.

Team Structured Carry: Messi, Haaland & The Hermès HAC

If there is one luxury bag quietly dominating footballer fashion, it's the Hermès HAC. Short for Haut à Courroies, the silhouette predates the Birkin and traces its heritage to Hermès' equestrian roots. Its tall proportions and generous interior were originally designed with practicality in mind, but today the HAC has become a favourite among athletes and luxury collectors.

Lionel Messi has been spotted with the Hermès HAC 40 Cargo, a functional interpretation of the historic silhouette featuring an unmistakably utilitarian feel. It makes sense for Messi's understated approach to luxury: recognisable to collectors, practical for travel and far less obvious than a heavily logo-driven bag.

Erling Haaland takes the structured route with the Hermès HAC 40 Casaque. The Casaque treatment introduces contrasting colour and a more graphic finish to the HAC's classic construction, giving the bag greater visual impact while maintaining the heritage silhouette.

Then there is Saquon Barkley with the Hermès Multipockets Birkin HAC 50. Larger, more technical and immediately recognisable, the Multipockets design transforms the HAC into a serious statement piece through external pocket detailing and oversized proportions.

Team Oversized: Chanel Is No Longer Just A Women's Bag Conversation

The idea that Chanel handbags belong exclusively in womenswear feels increasingly outdated. Footballers are approaching luxury accessories with far fewer traditional rules, and oversized Chanel bags are becoming particularly compelling for men's travel style.

Lamine Yamal makes perhaps the boldest case with the Chanel XXL Urban Essential Shopping Tote. Its dramatic proportions turn a functional carryall into the focal point of an outfit. Worn with relaxed travel clothing, the bag feels less like a traditional handbag and more like an oversized luxury holdall.

David Alaba has also embraced Chanel with a Chanel Large Shopping Bag. The spacious silhouette fits naturally into the current return of oversized bags, where practicality is once again influencing luxury trends.

Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk has been spotted carrying a Chanel Large Bowling Bag. The rounded bowling silhouette sits somewhere between traditional luggage and a fashion bag, making it particularly easy to style within a men's wardrobe.

Team Compact: Mbappé, Lacroix & Semenyo Keep It Light

Not every footballer wants to travel with a bag large enough for a weekend away. Compact luxury bags are still essential for players who only need space for their phone, passport, wallet and everyday essentials.

Kylian Mbappé carries the Dior A5 Triangle Pouch, a sleek and highly structured option that works particularly well with contemporary menswear. Its compact proportions make it ideal for streamlined travel looks where a large bag would feel unnecessary.

Maxence Lacroix opts for the Bottega Veneta Andiamo Messenger. Bottega Veneta's focus on leather craftsmanship and discreet branding makes the Andiamo particularly appealing to those drawn to quiet luxury. It offers a softer, more relaxed alternative to highly structured pouches.

Antoine Semenyo brings Hermès back into the conversation with the HAC à Dos PM. Translating the House's travel heritage into a backpack format, the HAC à Dos proves that Hermès craftsmanship can work just as naturally in a hands-free silhouette.

Team Duffle: The Football Travel Classic Isn't Going Anywhere

Before oversized totes and luxury crossbody bags entered the football fashion conversation, there was the duffle. It's still one of the most practical travel silhouettes, and some of football's biggest names continue to prove why.

Jonathan Clauss travels with the Louis Vuitton Monogram Macassar Keepall Bandoulière 55. The Keepall has been a luxury travel icon for generations, and the Monogram Macassar finish gives the classic Louis Vuitton silhouette a darker, contemporary edge.

Vinícius Júnior takes a more rebellious approach with a Chrome Hearts Duffle Bag. Chrome Hearts' distinctive visual language, cult following and limited availability make its luggage particularly appealing to athletes whose style leans towards streetwear and rare collector pieces.

And then there is Cristiano Ronaldo with the Gucci Mega Web Trademark Large Duffle Bag. Bold, recognisable and unapologetically luxurious, it perfectly matches Ronaldo's long-standing approach to statement travel style.

So, Which Men's Bag Team Are You?

The biggest takeaway from World Cup fashion isn't that every man needs the same bag. It's the opposite. Men's luxury accessories have become far more diverse, and footballers are demonstrating how different silhouettes can fit completely different wardrobes and lifestyles.

A structured Hermès HAC can become a collector centrepiece. A Dior pouch works for essentials. An oversized Chanel tote makes a fashion statement. A Louis Vuitton, Chrome Hearts or Gucci duffle remains a dependable travel companion.

Looking For A Bag Spotted On Your Favourite Player?

Celebrity and footballer style can make rare designer bags even harder to find. Limited-edition Hermès HACs, discontinued Chanel travel bags and sold-out Chrome Hearts pieces often disappear quickly from the market.

SW3 Boutique is a luxury resale boutique in Knightsbridge, London, specialising in authenticated designer bags, rare collector pieces and global sourcing. If you're looking for a specific piece spotted on a footballer, athlete or style icon, our team can search worldwide through our sourcing network.

Explore our Hermès Collection, browse Chanel and Chrome Hearts, discover our Global Sourcing Service or learn more about our Authentication Methods.