Lionel Messi is no stranger to a good watch.
The Argentinian forward, along with rival footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, is known for having one of the most impressive collections in the game. (Often compared on and off the pitch, the duo recently put aside their rivalry for a viral Louis Vuitton campaign.) It makes perfect sense, then, that Messi would sport one of his stunning Patek Philippe timepieces at a press conference for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ahead of Argentina’s match against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Messi attended the interview wearing an 18-karat white-gold Nautilus Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5740/1G. While it’s not an iteration of the highly coveted 5711, Messi’s model, which retails for $145,480, is yet another variation of the Nautilus that has appreciated with a current value of $265,000 on the secondary market. The Ref. 5740/1G was the first grand complication to appear in the Nautilus collection, offering both a perpetual calendar and a moonphase indicator powered by the ultra-thin, self-winding caliber 240 Q movement.
The Ref. 5740/1G isn’t the only watch from the Swiss manufacture in Messi’s collection. He also owns an 18-karat rose-gold Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref. 5980/1R, an 18-karat white-gold Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968G-001 as well as a unique variation of the popular 5711, a stainless-steel Ref. 5711/1A-001 with a white “piano” dial.
Aside from Patek, Messi’s timepieces are primarily from Audemars Piguet and Rolex. Back in 2012, the footballer partnered with AP on a limited-edition watch, the Royal Oak Leo Messi Chronograph, based on the 42 mm Royal Oak Chrono announced at SIHH earlier that year. The model appeared in three variations: one in steel limited to 500 pieces; one in rose gold limited to 400 pieces; and one in platinum limited to 100 pieces—each with a tantalum bezel and a leather strap.
As a big fan of Rolex’s, models in the forward’s collection range from a Daytona Panda Ref. 116500LN and a classic Datejust 36 Ref. 126231 to a unique Oyster Perpetual Yellow Dial Ref. 124300 and a Submariner Date Ref. 116659SABR. Just last year, Messi made waves in Paris wearing a rose-gold Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master Ref. 126655 to sign his $80 million contract with Paris Saint-Germain upon leaving FC Barcelona after 21 years with the club. Most recently, the icon was spotted repping Argentinian colors while arriving in Qatar for the World Cup wearing a platinum Day-Date Ref. 228206 with a blue dial.
