Fashion Brands Keep Chasing World Cup Stars Like Bellingham and Yamal

Three months after Spain won the World Cup, fashion brands are still signing soccer stars — and the numbers explain why. Bloomberg reported that the U.S. now counts 10% more self-identified soccer fans than last year, bringing the total to roughly 75 million.

The World Cup turned players like Jude Bellingham into household names for American audiences. According to GQ, Bellingham gained roughly 1 million Instagram followers after each match he played. His name became one of the top 30 trending topics in America on TikTok. The most popular Google search related to him in the U.S. was “Is Jude Bellingham my husband?”

That residual energy is now driving deal-making.

Who is signing whom?

Farm Rio, the Brazilian fashion brand, announced a partnership with Real Madrid last week. The deal also includes Adidas and centers on a capsule called the Flamengo Collection. It features five signature Farm Rio prints over Real Madrid's signature white colorway, plus heavy use of the club's branding.

The U.S. is Farm Rio's largest market outside Brazil, and the collection targets an international audience. It builds on a 2024 version of the Flamengo collection, which used soccer imagery but had no team affiliation. Farm Rio first teamed with Adidas for a soccer collection in 2024.

The campaign features Real Madrid stars including Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. Their appeal among American women was a specific factor in the deal, according to Kátia Barros, Farm Rio's co-founder, designer and creative director.

“Our customer is absolutely still energized [from the World Cup],” Barros said. “Many women love football but have never felt that traditional fan merchandise was made for them. Our collaborations give them a way to wear their passion with color, personality and style, on matchday and every day. The response to our football collections has always been incredibly emotional. Our fans still ask for pieces from the first Flamengo collection.”

American Eagle took a different route and signed its star before the tournament. The retailer began working with Spain's 19-year-old Lamine Yamal in January, in anticipation of the World Cup. Yamal gained over 5 million social media followers in the U.S. during the tournament.

One-off or long-term strategy?

American Eagle dropped its first collaborative collection with Yamal in September. The back-to-school line plays on his popularity with Gen Z. Jennifer Foyle, president and executive creative director of American Eagle and Aerie, framed the collection as the first step in a planned multi-year collaboration, not a one-off tied to Spain's World Cup victory.

“Soccer attracts an unrivaled global following, and our multi-year partnership with Lamine Yamal centers AE at the heart of the fandom–highlighting our commitment to him, the sport and our customers,” Foyle said in a press statement.

The Yamal deal builds on other athlete campaigns from American Eagle, including its Travis Kelce collaboration from last year.

What happens next?

The pattern is clear. Brands that locked in stars before the tournament are extending those deals, while others, like Farm Rio, are entering now at full price. With 75 million American fans and followings still growing, soccer players have moved from event-specific ambassadors to standing fashion properties — and brands that treat them as one-off tournament bets risk paying more later.