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Footballer Didier Drogba spotted wearing Richard Mille

Didier Drogba, one of football's most decorated strikers and a global ambassador for the sport long after his playing days, was recently spotted wearing a Richard Mille RM11-01 'Roberto Mancini' — a watch that, fittingly, was conceived at the intersection of elite football and extreme watchmaking.

The RM11-01 'Roberto Mancini' is built around Richard Mille's RMAC1 calibre, an automatic flyback chronograph movement that also incorporates an annual calendar and a GMT function. The movement, visible through the characteristic skeletonised tonneau case, is constructed with a baseplate and bridges machined from grade 5 titanium, with a column wheel governing chronograph functions and a variable geometry rotor managing winding efficiency. The case itself is available in titanium and red gold variants, measuring approximately 50mm × 40mm — unmistakably large on the wrist, by design.

Launched in collaboration with former Manchester City and Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini, the RM11-01 was part of Richard Mille's broader football-themed line — a natural extension of a brand that had already cultivated deep relationships with tennis, Formula 1, and golf. The 'Roberto Mancini' edition carries specific aesthetic detailing referencing Mancini's personal style, including dial colouration and finishing choices that distinguish it from the standard RM11. It represents an early and significant chapter in Richard Mille's strategy of anchoring limited references to sporting personalities.

Drogba's taste for Richard Mille is well documented. The Ivorian legend, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea, has been seen in multiple RM references over the years. His choice of the RM11-01 'Roberto Mancini' carries a certain insider wit — a striker from the Premier League era wearing the watch of one of the league's most recognisable managers from that same period.

On the market, the Richard Mille RM11-01 'Roberto Mancini' carries a UK list price in the region of £100,000. On the grey market, strong demand for football-adjacent Richard Mille references and the limited nature of the Mancini edition means prices typically hold firm or trade at a modest premium, depending on configuration and condition. For collectors, this reference remains a compelling document of a specific moment in watch and football culture.