Off Duty
GOAAALLLL! Footballers are stereotyped with lavish lifestyles: cars, mansions, and jewellery. But, money can’t buy style. Dribbling all the way back to the '00s, some players and WAGs just have that special baller energy - on and off the pitch. Here is a hat trick of the most stylish couples in English football at the moment:
Morgan Gibbs-White and Britney De Villiers
Morgan Gibbs-White is a 24-year-old midfielder. He made his professional debut with Wolverhampton Wanderers (more commonly Wolves) in 2017 after making an impact in their academy from the start. He currently plays for Nottingham Forest and recently earned his first cap for the England national senior team (long awaited). He has represented England in previous years at U21 (champions of the U21 Euros 2023) and U17 level (champions of the U17 World Cup 2017). His achievements speak for themselves… but he also hits the back of the net off the pitch, in the fashion world. On Instagram (@morgangibbswhite), he often shares photos of him arriving at Forest’s training ground in chic attire, including baggy jeans, Travis Scott Jordan 1, and a plethora of designer brands for example. If you’re looking for day-to-day fashion inspo for trends, comfort, and class, Morgan is your player.
Britney De Villiers - a true WAG in every sense - is a South African-Portuguese model, content creator, and influencer; modeling and curating stunning Insta posts for UK fashion GOATs PrettyLittleThing, Couture Club, Oh Polly, and more. She posts regularly on social media sharing fashion and lifestyle content and most definitely has an eye for style - slaying the modern, clean-girl aesthetic that makes you stop in your doom-scrolling tracks. She has a successful track record in neutrals, such as beige and brown monochrome outfits, and shares athleisure looks, ‘date night’ looks, and day-to-day outfit inspo. Even if she’s just running errands, she always serves couture. On YouTube, she posts vlog-style content - days in the life going to football games and the like. She is also a Bachelor of Law. Stargirl.
Britney and Morgan met at 19 through mutual friends and have been an ‘IT couple’ of the football scene since. In 2023, they welcomed their son Greyson, and now serve trendy looks as a trio.
David and Victoria Beckham
No intro needed.
David Beckham, former midfielder, became a household name for his impact on Manchester United and the England national team throughout a career spanning 20 years. He made his Premier League debut in 1992 at age 17, with Manchester Utd - wearing the iconic number 7 shirt. He also played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and others - winning numerous titles. He made 115 appearances for the England national team, each one memorable. Although a few controversial moments, Beckham’s impact was revolutionary; one of the greatest footballers of his generation. He retired in 2013 and has remained in the industry as co-owner and president of Inter Miami FC… but is also no stranger to fashion. Throughout the late '90s and early '00s, David was continually seen in trendy, paparazzi-able garms. '90s trends have made their return recently, and so have David’s looks. We see baggy jeans, sportswear, oversized apparel, and accessories like caps being passed around online. David - as I'm sure you’re aware - is a seasoned model, with his photos for Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss, and others going viral. It’s not uncommon to see him in a full fitted suit nowadays, as he takes on professional duties.
Victoria Beckham, formerly Adams, is a '90s fashion icon through and through. She came to fame as ⅕ of the girl band Spice Girls in 1994, as Posh Spice (rightfully so), and the rest is history. From 1994 to 2001, the Spice Girls had 9 UK number one hits before disbanding. Their tracks are still screamers to this day; we can take a lot of style inspo from them too. There have been numerous reunions to keep the '90s alive, including Victoria’s 50th birthday party earlier this year. Victoria has always had that je ne sais quoi. She’s been known for her style, with iconic outfits, hairstyles, and makeup throughout the years, but today, she has the fashion world pocketed more than ever. She has adopted the business side of the fashion world when founding her own fashion brand ‘Victoria Beckham’ (focusing on luxury denim and clothing) in 2008 and ‘Victoria Beckham Beauty’ (inspired by Victoria’s iconic smokey eye) in 2019. She is often pictured in formal dress sense on her Instagram (@victoriabeckham), maintaining the ‘posh’ appeal… But also has a versatile style that evolves with current trends. Kisses x
David and Victoria famously met at a Manchester United game in 1997, when Posh and Sporty (Mel C) were in attendance. David said in the ‘Beckham’ documentary on Netflix that he was attracted to Victoria, and they hit it off (or… kicked it off) straight away. They quickly became Posh and Becks and an IT couple in the football world. They have four children together - Brooklyn (who has experience in modelling, photography, and other career prospects), Romeo (formerly a forward for Brentford B, currently focusing on a career in fashion), Cruz (pursuing a career in music), and Harper. The Beckham empire keeps scoring.
Victoria in a blazer and jeans and David in sportswear, leaving a hotel in New York, May 2002. Image by Getty Images. Here, Victoria is styling a grey, fitted blazer with flared jeans, and 00s signature sunglasses and shoulder bag. David is wearing a navy tracksuit, oversized in true 00s fashion, with white trainers and his iconic blonde hair.This, amongst many other examples of Beckham Couture, highlights how fashionable David and Victoria are as it captures iconic 90s trends, whilst maintaining class.
Tolami Benson and Bukayo Saka
Shhh! Bukayo Saka is a 23-year-old footballer for Arsenal; very versatile in his skills, but predominantly a winger. He joined Arsenal’s academy at age 7 and worked his way all the way to the top at age 17, and now one of their most influential players. He’s also the England national team’s starboy - making his first team debut in Oct 2020, soon after scoring a spot in Arsenal’s first team. Not bad for being 20 years old. Before his senior call up, he also represented England at U21, U16, U17, and U19 level. Busy is an understatement. Aside from collecting trophies, Saka is busy on the runway. In September 2023, he attended London Fashion week with Burberry, and again in February 2024, wearing a brown monochrome outfit of trousers, a high-neck jumper, and suede/fur jacket by Burberry. He’s also been on the cover of British GQ, and recently shared an image on his Instagram (@bukayosaka87) where he was styled in Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance football boots. His everyday looks aren’t always designer, he generally wears baggy jeans and oversized hoodies/jumpers. Very on trend, very effective.
Quickly named ‘WAG of the year’ at the recent Euros, Tolami is on everyone’s mind.
Tolami Benson is a corporate girly; working in public relations. She gained a large following during the 2024 Euros after a sneaky paparazzi pic of her and Saka sharing a kiss. Although dating one of England’s most adored young footballers, she is still a career woman, which makes her relatable but mysterious enough to get the public talking. It’s been a while since the first fad of iconic WAGs swept the UK, Tolami is our modern-day icon. She’s got the aura as she is humble, yet still serves looks. Imagine how intimidating sitting pitchside as a WAG is…if anyone can do it in perfect sunglasses, flawless makeup, and an outfit that turns heads, it’s gonna be Tolami. On Instagram (@tolami_benson) she is no rookie in the mirror selfies department, her looks are always classy and chic, yet could easily be worn to a Premier League game if that’s your style.
One outfit in particular that stood out in the Euros tournament was Tolami’s final outfit. I mean, England being in the final calls for a perfect outfit, right? At the England v Spain game (not crying), Tolami wore a custom corset created by Hattie Crowther. It featured Saka’s Arsenal number from his debut - 87, and the three lions badge. She paired it with an England bomber jacket, also featuring 87 on the back and shoulder, blue frayed shorts, and Jordan 4s.
Tolami styling an England shirt with white shorts, jewellery and signature black sunglasses at an England game. Photo by Ian MacNicol
Tolami and Bukayo keep their relationship very private, and although allegedly being in a duo since 2020, never post pictures together and don't follow each other on social media. Tolami has posted a few ‘soft launch’ mirror selfies on Instagram but keeps pretty mysterious apart from that. Instead, she posts fashion and lifestyle content, such as her daily outfits, holidays, and days out. Saka generally posts about his sporting success, duh. Fashion is subjective. Talent is less subjective. These players and their partners (amongst others) have real talent for fashion… and scoring belters… and running businesses. The list of fashionable football couples is never-ending, but these ones could compete for the World Cup.
