Footballer Lothar Matthäus spotted wearing a Rolex

German football legend Lothar Matthäus has been spotted on the wrist with a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph ref. 116500LN in stainless steel, finished with a black dial. The sighting places one of the most decorated footballers in history alongside one of the most recognisable sports chronographs in the world — a pairing that feels entirely unsurprising given the gravitas both bring to their respective fields.

The Rolex Daytona ref. 116500LN launched at Baselworld 2016 and marked a watershed moment for the Daytona lineage. For the first time, Rolex fitted the Daytona with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel, replacing the previous aluminium insert and dramatically improving scratch and UV resistance. Powering the 40mm Oyster case is the Rolex Calibre 4130, an in-house column-wheel chronograph movement with a 72-hour power reserve and a Chronergy escapement for enhanced efficiency. Water resistance sits at 100 metres. The black dial version — reference suffix LN — carries the Cerachrom bezel in black, creating a monochromatic, tool-watch aesthetic that collectors immediately gravitated toward over the white-dial alternative.

From a collector's perspective, the 116500LN with black dial is the benchmark stainless steel Daytona of the modern era. Upon release, authorised dealer waiting lists stretched for years, and grey-market premiums reached multiples of retail. While premiums have compressed somewhat from their 2021 peaks, the reference remains firmly above its official list price on the secondary market, a rarity in a category where many sports references have retreated closer to retail. It is widely regarded as the definitive successor to the legendary ref. 116520.

Matthäus himself requires little introduction. The midfielder holds the all-time record for Germany national team appearances with 150 caps, captained West Germany to World Cup glory in Italy in 1990, and remains the only German recipient of the FIFA World Player of the Year award, claimed in that same year. His club honours span Bayern Munich and Internazionale, cementing a career that defines an era of European football.

At an official retail price in the region of $14,550 USD, the Rolex Daytona Cosmograph ref. 116500LN trades on the grey market at a significant premium, currently in the range of $23,995 USD for the black-dial configuration — a reflection of sustained demand that shows no sign of abating.