What began as a jubilant celebration after Mexico's victory against Ecuador has turned into a real headache for the players. The euphoria in the locker room sometimes produces amusing scenes, but it's rare to see a refund for collector's items become the main news story days after a crucial match. The team has had to deal with an unusual situation that blends social media with strict international sporting regulations.
The decision wasn't unilateral; it was made collectively to protect the team's integrity for the remainder of the tournament. While anyone would appreciate receiving such a gift, the players understood that maintaining focus on the field is paramount and that risking sanctions from the federation for a present, however exclusive, wasn't worth it. In the end, common sense prevailed in an environment where every gesture is scrutinized.
The origin of a gift valued at one million dollars
This whole mess started when American YouTuber Stephen Deleonardis, better known in the digital world as Steve Will Do It, decided to show up at the team's training center. His reason was to thank the players for their performance, as the influencer had bet two million dollars on a Mexican victory. When his prediction came true and he pocketed a net profit of over a million, he decided to share some of his winnings by buying a Rolex watch for each member of the team.
The content creator, who often boasts about these kinds of gestures on his social media profiles, even commented that the gift was practically free thanks to what he had earned from the boys. The complete watch collection is estimated to be worth close to one million dollars , with individual pieces that could easily exceed 90.000 euros on the market. In the videos that circulated online, footballers like Luis Romo and Julián Quiñones could be seen trying on the models and celebrating the gift with the YouTuber in an atmosphere of complete trust.
FIFA's code of ethics comes into play
However, the joy was short-lived at the training camp. The Mexican Football Federation, after analyzing the situation, officially announced through its channels that the players have decided to return the watches to the influencer . The main reason is to avoid any conflict of interest or violation of Article 21 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. This regulation is very clear on this point: professional footballers cannot accept gifts that exceed a symbolic or trivial value, something these Rolex watches clearly surpass.
The consequences of not returning the pieces could have been quite serious for the national team:
- Economic fines that start from 10.000 Swiss francs for those involved.
- Possible disqualifications from participating in football-related activities for periods that can last up to two years.
- Opening of disciplinary proceedings that would tarnish the team's image in the middle of the World Cup knockout stage.
This measure aims to nip in the bud any off-field controversy that could distract the players from their true objective. The coaching staff, led by Javier Aguirre, prefers that the focus remain on what happens on the pitch, not on the luxuries they receive off it. Steve Will Do It himself has confirmed that he will release a video explaining his side of the story, although the national team has already made it clear that the watches are on their way back to their original owner.
The incident thus concludes as a curious anecdote from this World Cup, underscoring the importance of knowing the rules well off the field. With the watches now out of the training camp, the squad is relieved of a burden and avoids a gesture of external generosity becoming a difficult regulatory problem to resolve. Now, the focus returns exclusively to the upcoming knockout rounds and the ambition to go as far as possible in the official competition.