The Ballon d’Or is the highest individual accolade a footballer can win. From Stanley Matthews being crowned inaugural victor in 1956 to Ousmane Dembélé last year, the achievement etches a player’s name into sporting history. Ahead of the 2026 ceremony, JD took a look at the most stylish nominees at this year’s event.
Who are the Most Stylish Ballon d’Or Nominees?
| Player | Search trend for name + style | Search trend for name + fashion | Search trend for name + haircut | Instagram Engagement Rate | Pinterest name + style search volume | Normalised av. score out of 10 |
| Michael Olise | 400% | 860% | 700% | 39% | 743 | 4.40 |
| Ferran Torres | 3500% | 600% | 1029% | 5% | 1000 | 3.90 |
| Erling Haaland | 433% | 336% | 42208% | 2% | 1000 | 3.32 |
| Jude Bellingham | 51% | 136% | 22% | 3% | 11,000 | 2.52 |
| Rodri | 179% | -19% | 324% | 0% | 169 | 1.63 |
Topping our style list is Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise, who scored 4.4 out of 10 across the six metrics. Olise came first in two categories, outplaying his competitors for fashion searches associated with his name, which were up 860 percent year-on-year, and having the highest Instagram engagement rate at a whopping 39 percent.
In the runners up spot is Ferran Torres. The PSG forward scored 3.9 overall after seeing searches for his name and ‘style’ increasing 3500% versus the previous 12 months, indicating that people were looking to style themselves like the World Cup final winning goal scorer.
Erling Haaland is in third place in our style list with a score of 3.32 out of 10. The Norwegian striker proved popular in the US after a successful World Cup campaign, but it is his hair which has proven a big talking point. When he cut his long blond locks for a buzzcut, searches for his hairstyle rocketed 42 thousand percent!
England’s superstar Jude Bellingham has modelled for various brands in the past, including Louis Vuitton. The Real Madrid midfielder stays true to form and ranks fourth on our list, being the Ballon d’Or nominee with the most search demand behind his style on Pinterest, accruing 11 thousand in total.
Rounding off the top five is Barcelona player and 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The former Manchester City star scored consistently well across the categories, performing best in searches for his haircut which were up 324%.
Which Footballers Have the Biggest Style Search Trend?
| Player | Search trend for name + style |
| Ferran Torres | 3500% |
| Erling Haaland | 433% |
| Nuno Mendes | 400% |
| Michael Olise | 400% |
| Pau Cubarsí | 350% |
One of the metrics that was analysed was the year-on-year trend of the player’s name plus the keyword ‘style’. As mentioned, Ferran Torres saw a huge 3500% increase that we’re attributing to his World Cup final goal. He is a self-styled sneakerhead and has an official partnership with Under Armour.
Behind Torres is Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who saw style searches for his name increase 433%. During the 2026 World Cup, the striker gained over 30 million Instagram followers, displaying some brave style choices, including being part of a Viking-themed photoshoot with the Norway team.
Tied in third having both had a 400% style search increase over the past year are Nuno Mendes and Michael Olise, with Barcelona’s central defender Pau Cubarsí in fifth on 350%.
Which Footballers Have the Biggest Fashion Search Trend?
| Player | Search trend for name + fashion | NS |
| Michael Olise | 860% | 1.00 |
| Ferran Torres | 600% | 0.70 |
| Harry Kane | 400% | 0.47 |
| Erling Haaland | 336% | 0.39 |
| Lautaro Martínez | 300% | 0.35 |
Michael Olise has seen online searches for his name plus the keyword ‘fashion’ increase by 860% year-on-year. His fashion reflects his playing style with a nonchalant aesthetic; often pairing casual pieces with formal wear.
In second place is Ferran Torres who has seen a 600% uplift in fashion searches associated with his name. Since the World Cup, he has performed on many fashion shoots, modelling labels such as Calvin Klein, Gucci, and Loewe.
Harry Kane fashion queries have grown 400% this year, perhaps in part down to his prolific goalscoring in Germany’s Bundesliga. Kane himself opts for a minimalist look, with neutral, traditional tones across items such as chinos and polo shirts.
Making another appearance in the top five is Haaland, with a 336% fashion search increase. The striker has a huge ten-year deal with Nike, as well as being a global ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana, and Swiss watchmaker Breitling.
Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martínez has seen fashion queries alongside his name rise 300%. He frequently opts for luxury high-end Italian pieces, limited edition sneakers and luxury watches.
Which Footballers Have the Biggest Haircut Search Trend?
| Player | Search trend for name + haircut | NS |
| Erling Haaland | 42208% | 1.00 |
| Marc Cucurella | 1200% | 0.03 |
| Ferran Torres | 1029% | 0.02 |
| Michael Olise | 700% | 0.02 |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | 418% | 0.01 |
Erling Haaland has by far the biggest search demand for his haircut over the past year. In total, queries grew an astonishing 42 thousand percent in the last 12 months, most of the search interest will be due to the Norwegian cutting off his long blond locks for a buzz cut back in August ahead of the new Premier League season.
“I think a lot of it comes down to how big a change it was. Everyone associates Haaland with his long hair, so taking it short gets people talking straight away. Even people who wouldn’t normally pay attention to his haircut notice the difference.
“The buzzcut always comes back around because it’s simple, looks clean and doesn’t take much effort to style in the morning. There’s a confidence to it as well. For someone who’s had the same hairstyle for years, it can feel like a fresh start.”
“Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella is another who has undergone a hair transformation of late. The Spainard ditched his shoulder length curls in favour of long braids, which has seen searches for this latest style increase 1200%.”
“Ferran Torres sports a loose, middle-length flow haircut, and his overall popularity this year has also seen a rise of 1029% in queries on Google for his haircut.”
“In fourth position is Michael Olise whose haircut has a 700% increase in search demand. The French winger, although born in Hammersmith, adorns medium-length braids, often tied together in a scrunchie. “
“Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia rounds off the top five with his medium-length side part and textured fringe, a hairstyle which has seen searches for it grow 418%.”
“It can become a massive part of how people recognise them. You only have to think of Grealish’s longer hair or Firmino’s different styles over the years.
Players are seen constantly through matches, interviews, campaigns and social media, so their haircut becomes part of their overall image. But it’s personal, too. Whether you’re a footballer or someone coming into the shop before a weekend out, a good haircut makes you feel better about yourself.” – JORDAN ROBERTS, BARBERSNO1
Which Footballers Have the Highest Instagram Engagement Rate?
| Player | Instagram Engagement Rate | NS |
| Michael Olise | 39% | 1.00 |
| Willian Pacho | 20% | 0.51 |
| Declan Rice | 10% | 0.27 |
| Marc Cucurella | 10% | 0.25 |
| William Saliba | 10% | 0.24 |
Michael Olise’s engagement with fans and the media is generally quite limited, often resorting to short answers in interviews. This style is reflected in his Instagram page, where there is little content. However, this results in a very high engagement rate for when he does choose to post. At 39%, it is by far the highest rate among this year’s Ballon d’Or nominees.
In second place is PSG’s Willian Pacho, who has an Instagram engagement rate of 20%. The Ecuadorian defender has a modest following north of 800 thousand, yet they are clearly engaged when he posts.
Tied in third with an engagement rate of 10% are Arsenal duo Declan Rice and William Saliba, as well as Marc Cucurella.
Which Footballers Have the Highest Pinterest Style Search Data?
| Player | Pinterest name + style search volume | NS |
| Jude Bellingham | 11,000 | 1.00 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 3000 | 0.27 |
| Erling Haaland | 1000 | 0.09 |
| Lamine Yamal | 1000 | 0.09 |
| Ferran Torres | 1000 | 0.09 |
Jude Bellingham has by far the most style search with his name on Pinterest. Search demand was over 11,000, making him by far the most style-associated footballer nominated for the Ballon d’Or on the platform.
In second place, Kylian Mbappé makes his first appearance in the top five of a category, with an estimated 3000 style searches on Pinterest. The Frenchman has recently signed a huge deal with On to front up their new football boot offering, as well as being a long-term ambassador for Dior.
There’s a three-way tie for third place between two familiar names so far – Erling Haaland and Ferran Torres – with the addition of Lamine Yamal. All are on around 1000 searches for their style on Pinterest. When looking at the Barcelona teenage sensation Yamal specifically, he tends to favour a baggy fit, with wide-leg denim and overshirts. He recently launched a fashion collection with American Eagle.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, if there was a Ballon d’Or for style it would be won by Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise.
Why not shop some of football’s most stylish players’ favourite brands including adidas, Nike, and On over at JD?
