He is one of football’s most recognizable faces.
So when David Beckham appeared in a Verizon advertisement with noticeably fuller cheeks ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fans were quick to question whether the former England captain had undergone a tweakment.
‘The first time I saw this ad, I had no idea who this man was,’ said one commentator in a clip that has racked up more than 12 million views on Instagram alone.
‘Oh no – what has he done to his face?’ another said. ‘He’s gone way overboard.’
As the World Cup plays out before a global audience of billions, Beckham is far from the only star drawing scrutiny for a seemingly ‘refreshed’ appearance.
‘Elite fitness, nutrition, hydration and recovery have dramatically slowed the ageing process for many players,’ Dr David Pincus, a leading plastic surgeon on Long Island, New York, told the Daily Mail.
‘That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if some athletes have had subtle cosmetic tweaks – just to look their best for the big day.’
To separate fact from fiction, the Daily Mail asked Pincus – along with other leading surgeons – to assess photos of six of football’s biggest names at this year’s tournament.
David Beckham in a Verizon ad. Fans were quick to speculate that he may have received filler into his cheeks after the video came out
Lionel Messi in 2010 and 2026. Surgeons suggest he has been taking good care of his skin
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is often called the greatest soccer player of all time.
But has he also undergone a subtle aesthetic alteration, quietly refreshing his famously boyish looks?
That is what one leading cosmetic specialist suggested last week.
In a clip viewed more than 200,000 times, Dr Celeste Nardone claimed the Argentine superstar, 38, had undergone a raft of procedures – including a nose job, chin enhancement, Botox, dental veneers, ear surgery, cheek filler and eyelid work.
The claims quickly sparked backlash from fans, who dismissed her analysis, and from Messi’s wife.
‘You didn’t get anything right,’ Antonela Roccuzzo, 38, fired back in Spanish days later. ‘He has never had any surgery.’
After reviewing images spanning more than two decades of Messi’s career, Pincus said there was no clear evidence of major cosmetic work. However, he noted the forward’s notably smooth complexion suggests a meticulous approach to skincare.
‘When you look at some players by the time they reach 40 – like Beckham – you can really see the impact on their skin,’ he said. ‘They spend years out in the sun, and UV exposure is the number one enemy of ageing skin.
‘But Messi’s skin looks younger than his actual age. He’s likely maintained a rigorous routine – a good eye cream, moisturizer, perhaps a serum.
‘It’s also possible he’s used non-invasive treatments like lasers to tighten the skin and soften fine lines.’
Skin-tightening treatments include laser resurfacing, which uses targeted light energy to stimulate collagen – the protein that keeps skin firm, smooth and youthful – helping to improve texture over time.
Another option is radiofrequency therapy, which gently heats the deeper layers of the skin to boost collagen production and tighten tissue, reducing sagging.
Experts also pointed to Messi’s teeth as a likely sign of cosmetic attention.
Dr Daniel Naysan, a Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, said Messi appears to have used clear, removable braces such as Invisalign, which are designed to discreetly straighten teeth.
He pointed to images from last year showing small enamel-colored attachments on Messi’s teeth – subtle markers of the treatment, often invisible to the untrained eye. Messi did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Landon Donovan is shown above in 2024, at about 42 years old, and in June this year, at about 44 years old. Plastic surgeons and fans were surprised by the change in his hair
Landon Donovan
Anyone who watches US soccer regularly is familiar with Landon Donovan – and his battle with hair loss.
For more than two decades, the face of the US men’s national team has been visibly balding.
Landon Donovan shown with a bizarre hairstyle in 2024
In 2024, he set the internet ablaze after appearing on screen with a bizarre and patchy hairstyle. In a text exchange, he confirmed he had undergone a hair transplant two weeks before the broadcast – and was ‘told it wouldn’t show up on camera’.
Then, in September the following year, he took the unusual approach of posting a video asking fans for help.
Explaining that he’d ‘tried everything’ to restore his hair, but found ‘nothing worked’, he added: ‘My options now are: Shave it bald, don’t want to do that, leave it as is, not an option right now… Or I can try the last thing, which is a hair system.’
A hair system is similar to wig, but attached to scalp with glue. It can be cut, washed and styled and can stay in place for weeks at a time.
A few weeks after that first soul-baring post, Donovan shared another video in which he is seen having a system fitted.
The soccer legend, now 44, has distinguished himself throughout his career for being willing to open up about his health struggles, including his battle with depression.
Dr Elie Levine, a plastic surgeon in New York City, said: ‘Landon Donovan looks like a different person now to two years ago.
‘Hair transplants have a high success rate but they do not always work. It is also a much trickier procedure when balding is extensive, so in these cases a prosthesis might be a more practical choice.‘
Cristiano Ronaldo had braces on his teeth in 2005. He is now playing for Portugal in this year’s World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo
When Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo stepped out for his first appearance at the World Cup, fans went wild.
The 41-year-old, who scored in his side’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan on Tuesday, also looked strikingly fresh alongside players half his age – prompting some to question just how he maintains his youthful appearance.
‘More plastic surgery than goals,’ one viewer wrote on X after the match.
‘I am seeing signs of work,’ Pincus said after reviewing photos of the 41-year-old striker.
‘He’s got decreased crow’s feet around the eyes, suggesting he may have used Botox. His lips have definitely increased in volume from his youth, too, so he may have got a small amount of lip filler.
‘On his jaw, I do not think there’s a huge change. There is a phenomenon where taking hormones can cause a subtle increase in bone mass, which may be related. This can happen if people take growth hormones, or peptides.
‘His skin is very smooth, too. I wonder whether he has used skin resurfacing or lasers to achieve that appearance.’
Botox is an injectable treatment that relaxes facial muscles, helping to smooth out wrinkles, while fillers are gel-like injections used to add volume to areas like the lips and cheeks.
Peptides and growth hormones are substances sometimes used to boost the body’s repair and growth processes – potentially affecting muscle, skin and, in some cases, bone over time.
He has also had work to straighten his teeth – he was seen wearing braces in 2005. Dental experts say he has definitely had some cosmetic dental work done since then, possibly including porcelain veneers.
Ronaldo did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Experts and fans speculate Beckham received some sort of hair treatment as his hair appeared more full in the Verizon ad than it did in 2019
David Beckham
Beckham, 51, has appeared everywhere at the 2026 World Cup – including in the Verizon ad and at the tournament’s opening ceremony earlier this month – and fans of the soccer star have been paying attention to his refreshed look.
‘The big change for him is in the midface, which appears much fuller,’ Pincus said after viewing photos of the star, who retired from professional soccer in 2013. ‘Whether that is due to fillers or fat transfer, I am not quite sure.
‘But what it’s done is it’s taken years off him. It’s lifted the whole of his mid and lower face to give him a more youthful appearance.’
He added that the former England captain and right midfielder’s smoother skin in later images suggested that he may have received laser or other skin treatments to rejuvenate it.
‘We see this a lot with some men, they don’t put on sun protection when they’re younger because they think, “Why should I?,”‘ Pincus said. ‘But then they wake up in their 40s and find their skin has gotten away from them.’
‘In the 2019 photo, his skin is very uneven, but it is not in later photos, suggesting he may have used lasers to even it out.’
Pincus also pointed to Beckham’s fuller head of hair in later pictures to suggest he had received a hair transplant.
Representatives for Beckham did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Gabriel Magalhaes is pictured above in August 2022, aged 24 years old, and in January 2026, aged 28 years old.
Gabriel Magalhaes
When Gabriel Magalhaes took to the pitch in April 2022 with a short back and sides trim, fans were quick to compliment him.
And that wasn’t just because of the style. The new look was also a far cry from the visibly receding hairline he had just months earlier.
Magalhaes is pictured above on the side of a taxi in London advertising a hair transplant. The image is from 2023
About a year later, it was revealed online that the Brazilian had undergone a hair transplant.
The Dr Cinik Clinic, based in Turkey, shared details of his procedure, saying he came to them to ‘boost his confidence’ – as well as restore his hairline.
They said he underwent a sapphire FUE hair transplant, a procedure where hair follicles are extracted individually from a donor area, typically the back of the scalp, and placed in an area where hair is thinning. It’s called the ‘sapphire’ transplant because it uses blades made from sapphire, which are thinner and produce less scarring according to the clinic.
Dr Levine said: ‘Magalhaes has clearly had a hair transplant.’
He pointed out that a completely straight hairline, as is the case with Magalhaes, is typically a key indicator of the procedure.
Magalhaes, 28, has not previously directly commented on the transplant, but video was published of him receiving the procedure.
At the time the clinic revealed the transplant, he was sharing photos on Instagram that detailed the lead-up to his wedding to 29-year-old beauty influencer Gabrielle Figueiredo.
The Arsenal defender is playing for Brazil in the World Cup.
Neymar, Brazil’s highest goal scorer, has also sparked speculation that he has had cosmetic work
Neymar
Another Brazil star, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior is celebrated at home for being the country’s highest goal-scoring player.
While the title has earned the 34-year-old the adoration of fans, it has also led to increased scrutiny of his appearance.
Neymar in 2022 receiving a skin treatment
‘It does look like he’s aging gracefully, it looks like he’s living a healthy lifestyle,’ Pincus said.
‘It seems like he’s just potentially had work on his skin. Perhaps a little Botox around the eyes to reduce crow’s feet and some good skincare, but nothing major.’
Pincus and Naysan also believe the player has had dental work.
‘He has teeth that went from natural to looking very artificial and very bulky, with no imperfections,’ Naysan said. ‘That’s what we’d expect with veneers.’
Veneers are ultra-thin porcelain or enamel shells attached to the front of teeth to instantly correct their appearance and color.
Neymar has previously shared with fans that he’s had work on his skin. In a video from 2022, posted before the World Cup in Qatar, he was shown with a cosmetic professional placing an unnamed skin enhancement device onto his cheek.
Neymar did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Mo Salah in 2023 and earlier this year. Plastic surgeons alleged he received a hair transplant
Mohamed Salah
In 2024, fans were dazzled by Mo Salah’s sensational goal-scoring start to the season – but also by his new look.
The Egyptian winger returned to the pitch with his famous locks absent, instead sporting a much closer-shaved appearance.
‘He’s most likely had a hair transplant,’ Pincus said.
‘In pictures from 2023, his hairline is receding at the sides of his scalp, but in later photos, that has disappeared and you see hair follicles growing in. That’s only possible with a hair transplant.
‘Looking at the rest of him, however, he doesn’t seem to have done any other work. The skin appears to be aging as I would expect, and his crow’s feet are coming in.’
Salah, 34, has never previously confirmed that he received a hair transplant. He did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
Gareth Bale retired from soccer in 2023, but still offers commentary on games. Plastic surgeons suggested he may have had work early in his career to pin back his ears
Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale retired from soccer in 2023, shortly after representing Wales at the previous FIFA World Cup and after joining MLS club Los Angeles FC in July 2022.
But the 33-year-old has returned to the tournament as a supporter this year, cheering on other players, posting images of himself in New York City and sharing his analysis of games with the media.
Pictures of the winger early in his career show him with ears that protrude prominently – they then become less pronounced in later images.
‘The biggest difference with Gareth is clearly his ears,’ Pincus said. ‘It’s likely that he underwent an otoplasty, or a pinning back of the ears, to make them less prominent.
‘It’s a very common procedure, and something that is usually done when the child is young, before the age of 16. It bothers the patients because children are cruel, people are mean, and they are often being made fun of through school. It’s a social thing.
‘The procedure itself is easy to do, takes just a few hours, and patients fully recover within a few weeks.’
Bale has not previously commented on whether he had surgery on is ears, and did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
England captain Harry Kane pictured in January 2020, aged 26 years, and this month, aged 32 years
Harry Kane
There has been speculation over whether England captain Harry Kane has undergone a hair transplant – but our experts were not convinced.
Levine said: ‘Kane’s hairline essentially appears unchanged over six years. It’s thinner at the front with pronounced balding at the temples.
‘If he has had a hair transplant, this look speaks more to a conservative hair transplant with the goal of not necessarily increasing volume, but preserving what is there now.
‘He may also have used vitamins, which may supplement hair growth, topical hair products and oral medications, which can all help to preserve a hairline.’
Kane, 32, has not previously spoken about whether he had a hair transplant or another procedure.
Earlier this month, while visiting a waxwork replica of himself at major London museum Madame Tussauds, he said: ‘I asked them to do my hairline a little better.’ Kane did not respond to a Daily Mail request for comment.
