The Watches of the DFB Stars at the 2026 World Cup — Which Models the German Internationals Wear

When the German national team competes for a fifth star at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, the decision will be made on the pitch. But away from the field — arriving at the team hotel, in the mixed zone, at the DFB Campus — a second, quieter game is under way: that of luxury watches. We have examined the entire squad and reveal which watches the internationals wear in private — and above all what makes these models so special. The result is unmistakable: one brand dominates the team's wrists.

The team wears Rolex — nine players, one brand

A glance at the wrists of the German squad makes one thing immediately clear: nine players in the World Cup squad wear Rolex. This is not sponsorship — quite the opposite. Unlike Hublot or Breitling, Rolex does not officially supply any individual footballer with watches; the players buy them themselves. That is precisely what makes the choice so telling: it is personal taste, not an advertising contract. Among professional athletes, Rolex stands for value retention, robustness and a status that is instantly understood worldwide.

Florian Wirtz — Rolex Daytona Everose with baguette bezel

The most glamorous appearance comes, of all people, from one of the youngest creative players. Wirtz was spotted with a Daytona in Everose gold with a bezel set with baguette diamonds. The Daytona is Rolex's legendary chronograph with a motorsport heritage — here in its most luxurious form: the same iconic DNA, but as a pure statement.

Florian Wirtz with his Rolex Daytona in Everose gold

Manuel Neuer — Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (Ref. 116500LN)

The returning world-class goalkeeper stays true to his style: the classic Daytona with a black ceramic bezel (Cerachrom) and a white dial. The tachymeter scale on the bezel comes from the world of motorsport — a fitting choice for a man whose profession consists of staying calm at the decisive moment. It is one of the most sought-after steel models in the world, with long waiting lists.

Leroy Sané — Rolex Daytona with mother-of-pearl dial

Sané also opts for the Daytona, but chooses a dial made of mother-of-pearl. Depending on how the light falls, the natural material shimmers and makes every example unique — a sense of the extraordinary, away from the crowd.

Kai Havertz & Nadiem Amiri — Rolex Day-Date Everose

Havertz and Amiri wear what is probably the most presidential watch in the squad: the Day-Date, known internally as the “President”. It is the only Rolex model that displays the day of the week fully spelled out, and it is available exclusively in precious metal. In Everose gold it gleams unmistakably in rose gold — understatement and status in equal measure.

Nadiem Amiri with the Rolex Day-Date in Everose gold

Jonathan Tah & David Raum — Rolex Datejust

Defensive leader Tah relies on the Datejust, perhaps the most timeless Rolex classic — in 1945 it introduced the automatically changing date beneath the Cyclops lens. David Raum wears a version with Roman numerals, a more formal note. Understatement that always works.

Waldemar Anton — Rolex Submariner “Kermit”

Anton wears one of the most popular sports watches in the world: the Submariner, Rolex's diving watch icon since 1953. His model with a green bezel carries the nickname “Kermit” among collectors — water-resistant, robust, instantly recognisable.

Malick Thiaw — Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi”

Thiaw — almost hidden beneath his jacket — wears the GMT-Master II with the red-and-blue “Pepsi” bezel. Originally developed for pilots of the Pan Am era, it shows a second time zone via a fourth hand — the ideal travel watch for a professional who commutes between continents.

Malick Thiaw with his Rolex GMT-Master II “PEPSI” on the Jubilee bracelet

The Patek Philippe circle — refined taste with an anniversary

Alongside the Rolex majority, a select circle of Patek Philippe wearers has formed. Fittingly for the World Cup year, the Nautilus celebrates its 50th birthday in 2026: designed by Gérald Genta in 1976, it was the very first luxury sports watch — and remains the benchmark for the entire industry to this day.

Nick Woltemade — Patek Philippe Nautilus

The young striker wears the Nautilus in its original form — the icon whose porthole design and integrated bracelet founded an entire category of watch. The steel version (Ref. 5711) is now barely available and often trades on the market well above list price.

Nick Woltemade with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Deniz Undav — Patek Nautilus Travel Time & Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Undav combines two complications at once: the Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph (Ref. 5990/1R) unites a second time zone and a chronograph in rose gold. At the DFB Campus he was additionally seen with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in yellow gold — the octagonal icon designed by Genta in 1972, with its tapisserie dial.

Deniz Undav on arrival — a gold watch on the wrist.

Angelo Stiller — Patek Aquanaut Travel Time (Ref. 5167R)

Stiller chooses the Aquanaut, the sportier, younger sibling of the Nautilus, with its characteristic “Tropical” rubber strap. The Travel Time function displays a second time zone; reference 5167R is executed in rose gold — refined taste from Stuttgart.

The outliers — Hublot, Richard Mille & Breitling

Joshua Kimmich — Hublot Big Bang / Classic Fusion

Captain Kimmich breaks ranks with the Rolex phalanx and opts for Hublot. The brand stands for its “Art of Fusion” — the combination of unusual materials such as ceramic, carbon and gold. The Big Bang is the bold, sporting line, the Classic Fusion the slimmer one. Unlike Rolex, Hublot works with FIFA contracts and brand ambassadors — a technical, modern choice for the captain.

Antonio Rüdiger — Richard Mille RM 67-02 “Alexander Zverev”

Rüdiger goes all in on the wrist as well. His Richard Mille RM 67-02 is high-tech watchmaking: extra-flat, feather-light thanks to a Carbon TPT case, technically drawn from the world of Formula 1. The “Alexander Zverev” edition he wears is finished in black, red and yellow — matching the German national colours. (Note: Richard Mille is not part of the HORANDO range, which is why there is no purchase link here.)

Antonio Rüdiger with his Richard Mille RM 67-02.

Julian Nagelsmann — Breitling Super Chronomat B01 44

The national coach is an official Breitling ambassador and can be seen on the touchline with the Super Chronomat B01 44 in rose gold. The designation B01 refers to the in-house manufacture movement — a chronograph with presence for one of the most ambitious tacticians in world football.

Team manager Rudi Völler with a blue IWC Pilot's Chronograph

At the microphone — the World Cup pundits and their watches

The TV studio is worth a look too. MagentaTV pundit Jürgen Klopp wore an inconspicuous black diving watch that has plenty to offer: an IWC Aquatimer “50 Years”, limited to 50 pieces and worth around €50,000. Understatement in its purest form. His colleague Thomas Müller deliberately went without a visible watch altogether.

The international superstars of the 2026 World Cup

The international competition shows off more openly. Cristiano Ronaldo wears a fully diamond-set Jacob & Co. Royal Baguette. Lamine Yamal favours the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Kylian Mbappé his own Hublot signature model, and Erling Haaland — owner of one of the largest watch collections in professional football — is seen sometimes with a Breitling Chronomat, sometimes with a diamond-set Rolex Daytona “Eye of the Tiger”. England captain Harry Kane completes the line-up with the Patek Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1R and the rare Split-Seconds 5370P.

Cristiano Ronaldo with the diamond-set Jacob & Co.

Frequently asked questions about the internationals' watches

Which watch does Florian Wirtz wear?

Florian Wirtz was seen with a Rolex Daytona in Everose gold with a baguette bezel — one of the most luxurious Daytona versions.

Which watch brand do most German internationals wear?

Rolex, without question: nine players in the 2026 World Cup squad wear models such as the Daytona, Day-Date, Datejust, Submariner or GMT-Master II.

Are footballers given their Rolex for free?

No. Unlike Hublot or Breitling, for example, Rolex does not officially equip individual footballers. The players buy their watches themselves.

Which watch does Antonio Rüdiger wear?

A Richard Mille RM 67-02 in the “Alexander Zverev” edition, in black, red and yellow.

What makes the Patek Philippe Nautilus so special?

Designed by Gérald Genta in 1976, the Nautilus was one of the first luxury sports watches in steel. In 2026 it celebrates its 50th birthday and is extremely sought after.

Conclusion: style is timing

Whether a classic Daytona, a Nautilus marking its anniversary or an uncompromising Richard Mille — the watches of the internationals tell the same story as a great match: of composure, timing and the courage to stake everything at the decisive moment. These are precisely the icons HORANDO has been curating since 2013.

Discover the models from this article in the HORANDO range: Rolex Daytona · Day-Date · GMT-Master II · Submariner · Patek Philippe · Audemars Piguet · Hublot · IWC · Breitling Super Chronomat