$1 million Rolex drama! Mexico forced to return luxury gifts to avoid FIFA trouble before England clash | Football News
Mexico’s preparations for their biggest match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 have taken an unexpected off-field turn after the squad narrowly avoided a potential FIFA ethics issue by returning luxury Rolex watches gifted to them following their Round of 32 victory over Ecuador.The decision came just days before Javier Aguirre’s unbeaten side faces England in the Round of 16 at the iconic Estadio Azteca, where Mexico will attempt to extend a remarkable World Cup run that has seen them win all four matches without conceding a single goal. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) confirmed the players had collectively agreed to return the expensive gifts in order to comply with FIFA regulations and eliminate any distractions ahead of one of the country’s biggest matches in decades.
Rolex gifts sparked ethics concerns after Ecuador victory
The controversy began after American influencer and content creator SteveWillDoIt, whose real name is Stephen Rocco Deleonardis, celebrated Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador by presenting luxury Rolex watches to the entire squad and coaching staff.Deleonardis had publicly revealed that he placed a $2 million wager on Mexico defeating Ecuador to reach the Round of 16. Following El Tri’s victory, he reportedly collected winnings of approximately $1.2 million before visiting the team’s camp to distribute the watches.Images of players including Julián Quiñones, Luis Romo and Raúl Jiménez receiving the gifts quickly circulated across social media, while Deleonardis posted on Instagram: “I gave every single player/ staff on Mexico team an expensive watch .. this was before they dominated Ecuador!!! How confident I was. BOOOOOOOOM. New YouTube video 8:30 eastern!! I love u guys. I love you Mexico. I love you Mexican football team. BOOM.”Head coach Javier Aguirre was also among those who received one of the watches before later returning it alongside the rest of the delegation.
Mexican federation confirms watches were returned
The gifts immediately raised concerns because FIFA’s Code of Ethics places strict restrictions on players, coaches and football officials accepting expensive gifts or benefits that could potentially influence decision-making or create conflicts of interest.Seeking to avoid any possible breach before their knockout meeting with England, the Mexican Football Federation announced that the gifts had been returned by mutual agreement.In a statement posted on X, the federation said: “The SNM reports that by mutual agreement, our players decided to return to the content creator, @stevewilldoit, the watches that he had gifted them on his own initiative.”The decision effectively removed the possibility of disciplinary action before Mexico’s Round of 16 encounter, with reports indicating that failure to return the watches could have exposed players to sanctions ranging from financial penalties to potential suspensions under FIFA’s ethics regulations.There were also suggestions that the players could not retain the luxury watches because of the national team’s commercial partnership with watch manufacturer Hublot.
FIFA’s ethics rules leave little room for interpretation
The issue centres on Article 20 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which governs the acceptance of gifts and benefits by individuals involved in football.FIFA-licensed agent Joseph Adamfio explained the purpose of the regulation, saying the rule “ensures that football professionals, such as officials, agents, executives, and others, do not give or receive gifts or benefits that could unfairly influence their decisions. FIFA wants to prevent bribery and corruption while maintaining fairness in football.”He added that while modest souvenirs are generally acceptable, expensive or high-value gifts are prohibited under the regulations.The Code of Ethics itself adopts an equally cautious position, stating: “If in doubt, gifts shall not be offered or accepted.”The governing body’s strict stance follows previous disciplinary cases in which football presidents and senior officials received lengthy bans after accepting valuable gifts or benefits.
Full focus now turns to England
With the issue resolved, Mexico can now concentrate entirely on Sunday’s Round of 16 showdown against England at the Estadio Azteca.El Tri enter the knockout tie as one of the tournament’s form teams, having won all four matches while becoming the first nation since Italy at the 1990 World Cup to open a tournament with four consecutive victories without conceding a goal. Their latest triumph over Ecuador also secured Mexico’s first World Cup knockout victory in 40 years.
Mexico players celebrate after the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador in Mexico City, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
England, meanwhile, arrive after surviving a major scare against DR Congo, recovering from an early deficit through Harry Kane’s late brace to seal a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory.The winner of the highly anticipated Round of 16 encounter will progress to the quarter-finals, where either Brazil or Norway awaits, but Mexico’s immediate priority has been ensuring their World Cup challenge remains defined solely by events on the pitch rather than an avoidable off-field controversy.
