What To Know
- Jude Bellingham stars in Calvin Klein’s global underwear campaign, “the icon underneath.”
- Shot in Madrid by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, the campaign features pieces from the Icon Cotton Stretch collection and Bellingham’s signature goal celebration.
- The campaign sparked widespread reactions and memes on social media.
Jude Bellingham broke the internet without even stepping onto a soccer pitch.
The 23-year-old English soccer phenom has officially been unveiled as the star of Calvin Klein’s latest global underwear campaign, leaning into the brand’s signature minimalist aesthetic under the tagline “the icon underneath.”
Photographed and directed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch in Madrid, the campaign features the midfielder modeling pieces from the Icon Cotton Stretch collection, including classic boxer briefs, low-rise trunks, and the new limited-edition Shine Trunk featuring a sleek metallic waistband.
Bellingham is captured showing off his physique while recreating his arms-outstretched goal celebration, which appears to be a subtle nod to his dominance on the pitch that instantly resonated with soccer fans online.
“I liked the idea of ‘the icon underneath’—that confidence starts with feeling comfortable in yourself,” Bellingham shared in a statement regarding the partnership.
As expected, the campaign, which debuted on Monday, November 2, sent social media into a tailspin with fans flooding platforms like X and Instagram with humorous reactions and memes.
One user commented underneath the Instagram video, “this video healed something in me,” while another commented: “Lots of boyfriends became single today.” Someone else wrote: “They knew EXACTLY what they were doing.”
Jude Bellingham’s new Calvin Klein ad is going viral all over the world. @glamourmag 📲🌍 https://t.co/FMe11tjLOU
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) November 3, 2026
Popular independent fan accounts like Madrid Zone — and even some brands — also couldn’t stay silent about the campaign. Popular digital media and entertainment company Betches Media, known for creating content for women, created several posts in response to Bellingham’s photo shoot.
One of the Betches post read: “you’re laughing… Jude Bellingham is built like a greek god, and you’re laughing,” while another read: “things i’ve always said: Soccer is my favorite sport.” Another one read: “I’m no better than a man.”
One user on X who goes by the name Sasshington, M.C. shared a post with a caption that said, “Calvin Klein saw that 98% of the internet was disappointed in People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive and jumped from the top rope to help ease the pain with Jude Bellingham. Brilliant move.”
Bellingham is no stranger to the attention. Following his standout performances that grabbed the world’s attention during the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this year, the young star has became popular on social media and has frequently sparked hilarious memes along with close friend and fellow soccer titan Erling Haaland.
He also joins a lineup of star athletes who have stripped down for Calvin Klein over the decades, following in the footsteps of Arsenal’s Fredrik Ljungberg, tennis powerhouse Carlos Alcaraz, Son Heung-min, and Olympic pole vaulter Tom Hintnaus, who kicked off the brand’s athlete legacy in 1982.