Erling Haaland’s $60,000 Birkin Bag — Why Footballers Are Obsessed with Hermès

Quick answer: Norway striker Erling Haaland turned heads at the 2026 World Cup carrying a rare Hermès Birkin 50 in the “Endless Road” Gris Perle finish — a bag that typically resells for $45,000 to $60,000. He’s not alone: France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Portugal’s Pedro Neto have also been spotted with more accessible Birkin styles, part of a wider shift where elite footballers are treating luxury handbags as a core part of their off-pitch identity, not just an accessory.

Football and high fashion used to sit on opposite sides of the pitch. Today, the world’s biggest tournament is producing as many style headlines as match reports — and nothing captures that shift better than footballers swapping kitbags for six-figure handbags.

The Bag That Started the Conversation

Erling Haaland arrived at the 2026 World Cup carrying an Hermès Birkin 50 in the “Endless Road” design, finished in the rare Gris Perle colorway. The Birkin 50 — Hermès’s largest standard size — was originally built to carry equestrian gear, which makes it an unexpectedly practical choice for an athlete hauling travel essentials between training camps and matches. Bags in this specific finish and craftsmanship tier typically command between $45,000 and $60,000 on the resale market, reflecting the intricate leatherwork Hermès is known for.

Haaland’s pick wasn’t a one-off red carpet moment — it was a travel bag, carried the way other players might carry a duffel.

Haaland Isn’t Alone

The Birkin 50 has quietly become a favorite among footballers at this tournament. Ousmane Dembélé of France and Pedro Neto of Portugal have both been seen carrying their own Birkin bags, in versions that are more attainable than Haaland’s ultra-rare pick but still firmly in luxury territory.

This isn’t isolated to a couple of players, either. Members of the French national team in particular have built a reputation for arriving at training camps and tournaments with an impressive rotation of designer bags — Hermès Kelly and Birkin styles among them — to the point where their camp arrivals are now treated as fashion moments in their own right.

Why a Handbag, and Why Now?

A few things are converging to make this a real trend rather than a handful of isolated photos:

• Football has fully merged with luxury fashion. Brands that once avoided association with the sport now actively dress national teams — Spain’s team travels in head-to-toe Loewe, for example, and several federations have multi-year partnerships with major fashion houses for off-pitch wardrobes.
• Social media rewards exactly this kind of moment. A player walking through an airport with a five-figure bag is the kind of clip that travels fast on Instagram and TikTok, turning a travel accessory into a talking point.
• It signals taste, not just spending power. Choosing a specific Birkin finish, like Haaland’s Gris Perle “Endless Road,” reads as informed rather than showy to anyone tracking the bag’s resale market and rarity tiers.
• Menswear has normalized bags as a status piece. What used to be a primarily womenswear category has become a recognized way for male athletes and celebrities to express personal style.

The Bigger Picture: Football’s Fashion Moment

Haaland’s bag is one data point in a much larger story at this World Cup. National teams have brought in major fashion houses for official off-pitch wardrobes, kits have leaned into retro and culturally specific design details, and individual players have become genuine style figures followed as closely for their fits as their form. The Birkin trend specifically reflects something simple: elite footballers now have the platform, budget, and cultural permission to engage with luxury fashion at the same level as musicians or actors — and a rare handbag is one of the clearest, most photographable ways to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Erling Haaland’s Birkin bag worth? His Hermès Birkin 50 in the “Endless Road” Gris Perle finish typically resells for between $45,000 and $60,000, based on the rarity of that specific colorway and craftsmanship.

Which other footballers have been seen with Birkin bags? France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Portugal’s Pedro Neto have both been spotted carrying Birkin bags, in versions more accessible than Haaland’s rare pick. Several members of the French national team have also been seen with Hermès Kelly and Birkin styles at training camps.

Why is the Birkin 50 popular with footballers specifically? The Birkin 50 is Hermès’s largest standard size and was originally designed to carry equestrian equipment, making it practical for carrying travel essentials — while still carrying the brand’s luxury and rarity cachet.

Is it common for male athletes to carry designer handbags now? Yes — it reflects a broader shift in menswear where handbags, once seen as a primarily womenswear category, are increasingly worn by male athletes and celebrities as a status and style statement.