The English Premier league is without a question, the biggest domestic football in the world by numbers and popularity, and last weekend, Liverpool won their 20th premier league title. Liverpool fans know how much winning the premier league means. From winning the first premier league in 30 years in 2020 but not being able to celebrate due to covid, this season’s title feels like a proper one. Myself being a die hard Liverpool fan for around 20 years, it means the absolute world. It tears me up even now knowing that Liverpool won the league, and have spent days looking at players and coaches’ celebration photos. And of course, what do I do when I first see the photos? I check the players left wrist first. Call it a job, call it an addition, this is the first thing I check on my photos or whenever I meet someone. So here are some of the watches that I have managed to spot during the celebration of Liverpool’s 20th title.
photo from Instagram @virgilvandijk
Virgil Van Dijk’s Ap royal oak skeleton + his 2020 Premier league champion watch 5167a singapore
It’s only right to start with the captain; Virgil Van Dijk. One of the greatest center back Premier League has seen just added his second league title in his resume, first ever dutch captain to win the premier league. People who have checked Virgil’s wrists will know that he is a big AP guy. In fact, the entire Liverpool squad has a connection with Audemars Piguet as the entire Liverpool squad from 2020 have received a custom royal oak offshore after winning their title. I am not a fan of offshore at all, but this just may be the only offshore that I would like to have in my collection. If this ever appears in an auction, hit me up.
Back to Van Dijk’s watch, he was spotted wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal oak flying tourbillon in burgundy dial in stainless steel ref.26730ST. Measuring at 41mm, it fits well with Van Dijk’s tall frame, and I am sure he wore this specific watch due to the red burgundy dial to match with Liverpool’s red. As John Mayer said in the Hodinkee video, a tourbillon at the end of the day does not nothing but tell the time. Obviously the tourbillon was invented for a reason other than just telling time. Invented by Abram Louis Breguet in the late 18th century to prevent gravity from having an effect in accurate timekeeping in pocket watches by developing a rotating cage which prevents positional errors caused by gravity. I personally am a big fan of tourbillon but not that big into Royal Oaks, especially modern Royal Oaks, but I appreciate Van Dijk going for the flying tourbillon complication rather than a time only Royal Oaks.
photo from Instagram @joegomez
Joe Gomez’s Patek Nautilus ref.5711 in White dial
Current longest serving Liverpool player, sometimes unlucky with injuries, Joe Gomez did not get to play in the match but was present to celebrate the title. This was the easiest wrist spotting out of all as he is vividly seen wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref.5711a in white dial standing alongside his center back partner Virgil Van Dijk. I believe the production number of white dial 5711s are less than the blue dial 5711s although the blue dials have slightly higher premium due to popularity. I wonder what Gomez’s thinking process was going for the white dial over blue dial, and this 40mm Nautilus looks very nice on his wrist. There is a growing chance that this season will be his last season as a Liverpool player which is extremely sad, as I was 15 when he first signed with Liverpool, supporting him for the last decade, and the only current Liverpool player who has been in the club since the Brandon Rodgers era. I really hope that he stays in Liverpool at least for another season.
Photo from Instagram @ibrahimakonate
Ibrahima konate’s Aquanaut ref.5968a
Konate was not in Liverpool for the 2020 title so this was his first Premier league title, which I am sure means the world to him. He was captured pre-match as well as post match video where he sat down in the stands after winning the title, overlooking the empty Anfield stadium wearing the Patek Aquanaut chronograph ref.5968a with popping orange strap provides an easy answer to find. I personally am not a fan of 5968s, as I believe the case is too big, too thick, it just feels like the movement was never supposed to fit in this Aquanaut shape, but Patek has forcefully squeezed it in. That’s just my opinion. But for Konate, what an incredible season he had for Liverpool, a massive contributor to the success of the club and hopefully more years to come as he is only 25 years young. I hope for his continuous success and maybe get a better watch alongside his success on the pitch.
Photo from Instagram @ryanjiro_
The Dutch Pair
Liverpool has had deep ties with The Netherlands; from Dirk Kuyt, Gini Wijnaldum to our current manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil Van Dijk, and these two gentlemen; Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch. Both Gakpo and Gravenberch had a massive contribution to this season’s success, and unlike their fellow dutchman Van Dijk, this was the pair’s first premier league title. In this photo during their celebration, Gakpo on the left is wearing what seems to be a platinum Daytona ref.116506 or 126506, recognisable from the bronish bezel. A heavy hitter, I hope he did not celebrate too hard as platinums are very soft and easy to get hairline scratches. Gravenberch on the right is following his fellow dutchman Van Dijk and wears and Audemars Piguet; more specifically, the black ceramic Royal Oak either in double balance wheel skeleton or skeletonised perpetual calendar which unfortunately did not manage to figure out due to the quality of the photo. The theme of Liverpool players and Audemars Piguet continues with Gravenberch, and this black ceramic might be the only ceramic cased royal oaks that I personally like. Great season for both players, and hope to see them celebrate again with another title next season.
Photo from Instagram @curtisjones
Curtis Jones’ Richard Mille (hmm)
One of the local Liverpudlians alongside Trent Alexander Arnold, Curtis Jones has had himself an incredible season, contributing a significant role in this year’s title as well as becoming a England national team regular. I am sure this season’s title means more to him than to the 2020 title as he was still a young prospect without much playing time back then. He was pictured with Cody Gakpo wearing what seems to be a Richard Mille RM35 Rafael Nadal edition with, of course, a red strap. Look, I don’t know anything about Richard Milles. If you ask me about RMs, I am probably the most clueless person. It is not my field, and I would like to continue that way. I saw my friend wearing this gigantic RM35 in White TPT paired with blue straps, and I could not stop shxtting about the watch all dinner. Apologies to Curtis, but this ain’t it for me. I hope he gets a new watch (no RMs) to celebrate the title winning season.
Overall, Liverpool players like their modern watches which is a common theme in the world of football, and they like their watches expensive. I do wish more football players or athletes in general to get deeper into watches like JJ Redick. Liverpool players’ watch taste can do some work. Now that they are champions, they should take their summers to get deeper into their timepieces. It would be very nice if there is someone who can educate players with more knowledge in watches, educating them deeper rather than just selling so-called “hyped” pieces. If I really have to choose my favourite out of these watches, I might go for Joe Gomez’s Nautilus as it is now a historic reference of Nautilus and probably is one the only watches I would actually wear out of all watches here. Regardless of the watch, I am over the moon with Liverpool’s 2025 Premier League title, and I hope I get to write another article like this next year after winning next year’s title. Fingers crossed.
