Jude Bellingham’s promotional exploits for SKIMS earned the Real Madrid and England star some new fans, who are drawn to players in their underpants.
It harked back to one of the country’s most recognisable football figures, David Beckham, who took part in several photoshoots for underwear during his playing days.
The 20-year-old’s pics for Kim Kardashian’s fashion brand came in the days building up to Euro 2024, with England playing their opening fixture against Serbia on Sunday night.
But Bellingham is by no means the only England star to have shown off their underwear, either accidentally, or by design.
Here’s a look at some of the other Three Lions stars past and present who have also been spotted showing their pants off to the wider world.
Jude Bellingham is not the first England star to appear in his pants, after promoting SKIMS
David Beckham’s iconic photoshoots are one famous example, but other players have too
Jude Bellingham
Where else can we begin than with England’s current shining light? Off the back of winning the Champions League in his first season at Real Madrid, he will be eager for more success with the national team in Germany this summer.
Bellingham, 20, sent fans into a frenzy with the new SKIMS advertisements which were shown off for the first time earlier this month.
Kim Kardashian launched her SKIMS line for men in October 2023, expanding her $4billion brand with the help of Brazilian star Neymar, NBA point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and NFL defensive end Nick Bosa.
The pictures of Bellingham have also drawn the attention of the audience in England, and across Europe.
Since making his England debut in 2020, Bellingham has risen to the top of world football, and will be hoping to go one further than the runners-up finish he achieved with England at the last European Championship three years ago.
England star Bellingham leaves barely anything to the imagination in the skintight boxer shorts
The Real Madrid star is in England squad hoping to win Euro 2024 this summer in Germany
England and Real Madrid icon Bellingham kickstart their tournament against Serbia on Sunday
The midfielder appeared in a new advertising campaign promoting SKIMS’ underwear range
David Beckham
Probably the most famous England star to promote underwear, David Beckham, who wore national colours between 1996 and 2009, did several promotions for top names.
Starting from 2007, the Man United and Real Madrid icon posed in promotional shots for Emporio Armani, which led to some speculation that the image had been digitally enhanced.
And in 2012, he launched his own line of underwear with fashion retail giant H&M, which of course came with promotional shots of the midfielder wearing the items in question.
England star David Beckham wore Emporio Armani briefs in photoshoots from 2007 onwards
The midfield icon then showed off his own underwear line for H&M in similarly revealing shots
Beckham unveiled new print advertisements for his H&M underwear line from 2012 onwards
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold cosied up to Iris Law during a racy photoshoot for Guess which was published this week, following months of romance rumours.
One of the promotional pictures showcased the 25-year-old’s jaw-dropping abs in white boxers and a denim jacket, while another featured him in a white Guess Jeans t-shirt alongside another glimpse of his underwear.
Previously, he had posted stunning snaps to Instagram of him showing off Calvin Klein underwear.
Alexander-Arnold, who earned his first England cap in 2018, will expect to add to his current tally of 25 during Euro 2024, where he will wear the No. 8 shirt.
Trent Alexander-Arnold showed off white Guess Jeans branded boxers in a recent photoshoot
The Liverpool ace earned his first England cap in 2018, and is a key part of the Euros squad
He previously shared pictures to Instagram showing off white Calvin Klein boxer shorts
Alexander-Arnold has been given the No 8 shirt for this summer’s European Championships
Jack Grealish
Man City and England icon Jack Grealish slurred ‘what a time to be alive’ as he filmed himself partying in his pants during Harry Maguire’s wedding in 2022.
Grealish was seen dancing in a pair of bright white boxers to Jay Sean’s 2009 hit ‘Down’ in a clip posted to Snapchat.
The winger has become one of the country’s most recognisable athletes, and has built a reputation for partying hard, and playing well, representing his country from 2020 onwards.
However, struggles with form at club level in the 2023-24 season mean that he was left out of Gareth Southgate’s squad for this year’s tournament.
Jack Grealish was seen dancing in a pair of bright white boxers in a Snapchat clip in 2022
Grealish filmed himself partying in his pants while in France for Harry Maguire’s wedding
Chloe Kelly
It’s not just the men either – Lioness Chloe Kelly starred in a Calvin Klein advertising campaign ahead of last summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Along with US football icon Alex Morgan, the Man City star featured in black and white images for the underwear designer’s ‘Calvins or nothing’ campaign, which aimed to celebrate ‘athleticism and strength’.
Kelly wrote her name into English football history when she scored the winning goal in the Women’s Euros final at Wembley in the summer of 2022.
She made her national team debut in 2018, and will be hoping to help England qualify for the European Championships next summer so that the Lionesses can defend their title in Switzerland.
England’s Chloe Kelly featured in a Calvin Klein shoot that celebrates ‘athleticism and strength’
Kelly wrote her name into English football history with the winning goal at Euro 2022
Declan Rice
Declan Rice made his England debut in 2019, and has made over 50 appearances for the Three Lions over the past five years.
While he was on the books at West Ham, the club’s Instagram account caught the midfielder in his Umbro underpants, and shared it for the world to see.
His big summer move across London to Arsenal last year took him into the title race and Champions League football, and he will be donning the No 4 shirt for England during this summer’s Euros in Germany.
West Ham’s Instagram account once caught a glimpse of Declan Rice’s Umbro underpants
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford has been one of Man United’s shining lights over the past decade, and it has led him to earn 60 England caps since 2016.
However, he will not be part of the Euro 2024 squad, having been omitted from Southgate’s squad for the tournament in Germany.
An intimate snap of the forward shared on Instagram showed him topless and showing off the top of his Calvin Klein underwear.
One picture of Man United and England star Marcus Rashford showed off his Calvin Klein pants
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling, 29, has only ever starred at the top of English club football, with spells at Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, joining the latter in 2022.
He also earned 82 caps with England between 2012 and 2022, but has not featured for Southgate’s side since then, and will also be missing from the Euros.
One well-timed photograph captured the winger wearing his Puma pants underneath his jersey and shorts.
Raheem Sterling was captured wearing his black Puma pants underneath his regular kit
Frank Lampard
Sometimes football players show off their pants as part of a promotional deal, and sometimes it’s just an accidental part of being constantly photographed playing the game.
For Frank Lampard, back when he was playing for West Ham, it was next level exposure.
A tug from Man United opponent Nicky Butt left his bright white underpants widely exposed whilst battling for the ball at Old Trafford.
Lampard moved from West Ham to Chelsea in 2001, and became a club legend in 13 years at Stamford Bridge.
He also earned 106 England caps between 1999 and 2014, scoring 24 goals for the national team.
Frank Lampard’s white underpants were exposed after a violent tug from an opposing player
Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker was an icon as an international player, scoring 48 goals in 80 England appearances from 1984 to 1992, and while his career took him to Barcelona, Spurs and Nagoya Grampus in Japan, his youth team of Leicester City held his heart.
Gary Lineker hosted ‘Match of the Day’ in his Leicester City shorts after they won the title
As a presenter, Lineker has shown himself off to new audiences, in more ways than one, after vowing to present BBC’s ‘Match of the Day’ in his underwear if the Foxes won the Premier League.
Leicester City did the unthinkable that season, and did seize the top-flight trophy from the usual suspects, leaving the ex-England striker to present the show in his underwear as promised.
