As the FIFA World Cup euphoria is still echoing in the airs, we take a gander at some of the best dressed footballers and their impeccable off-the-pitch style game

Cristiano Ronaldo

The odds of catching the current world player of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo, in a baggy t-shirt and unfit slacks are rarer than catching the right of a blue moon. The skinny jeans almost permanently spray-on his frame, when he takes to wear denims. The footballer favours wearing lightweight jumpers, cool jackets cropped to just above the waist and plain tees hemmed around the mid biceps; and fans know he does it best.

Hector Bellerin

The Spanish defender has become quite a fashion influencer in London menswear crew. Whether he’s been snapped by paparazzi showing off his street-style or arm-in-arm with Oliver Proudlock, the sportsman is always sporting in some of the trendiest brands in the world, including his personal playmakers – Fear of God and Balenciaga.

Bellerin favours oversized silhouettes in his jackets and jeans in contrast with slimmer fits. He enjoys accessorising his looks with beanies or off-white scarves to draw the attention of the street-style snappers.

Neymar

Neymar, being the football hypebeast that he is, devours Parisian brands like he does defenders on the pitch. Two of his favourite brands are Louis Vuitton and Balmain, with the striker seen sporting a jacket from the latter brand at the Ligue1 Football Awards. Black jacket with a glitzy gold dragon emblazoned over it, the look – a blend of a samurai’s dinner jacket and something Michael Jackson might dress up in – was Neymar’s fashion peak. Gold is certainly his colour, but for more dressed down affairs, Neymar is more inclined to wear all-over denim, albeit with a loud bandana wrapped across his forehead.

Xabi Alonso

Throughout his career, Xabi Alonso has been an efficient and safe pair of feet in the middle of the pitch for successful sides at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. He is the definition of a good taste ambassador, favouring well-cut and pristine grey suits or lounging cardigans over the streetwear of his younger peers. He has been very vocal about his disinclination to wear jewellery and he only wears a watch.

Lionel Messi

Perhaps, the greatest player of his generation or maybe even of all time, Messi’s style evolution is the most integral on this list. When he arrived on the scene at Barcelona he was a gawky, long-haired lover from Rosario, Argentina, but over time the hair has been shorn and styled, with a befitting rugged beard to match. We don’t often get to see his clothing choices unless he is picking up yet another Ballon d’Or, but his tailoring flits between outlandish and expressive to demure but effortlessly classy.