Héctor Bellerín: More than a Footballer

Defining Héctor Bellerín only as a footballer would be a disgrace to his career outside the pitch. Bellerín has been involved with fashion, photography, environment, and human rights - along with animal rights. He describes himself as a "creator, environmentalist, and footballer".

Héctor Bellerín is esteemed for his work in the fashion industry and for having a keen interest in fashion. He is frequently regarded as one of the most stylish football players. Bellerín has attended a lot many fashion events and has been featured in several fashion magazines.

After experiencing a terrible injury in 2019, the former Arsenal right-back turned the situation into something positive as he channeled his passion for fashion and photography. It's important to remember that some football players have interests and pursuits outside of their football careers, and in Bellerín's case, fashion has played a big role in his off-field activities. His reputation as a multi-faceted individual who is not only a football player has been proved by his involvement in the fashion industry.

In 2019, he was one of the models to walk on Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2020 runway in Paris, showcasing his walk despite the injury he experienced several months earlier. In the same year, Bellerín arranged a partnership between Arsenal and 424, a fashion brand that designed and created suits for the Arsenal family. The formal wear partner was like a breath of fresh air for the football club as the campaign was highly appreciated - thanks to Héctor Bellerín.

In 2021 Bellerín designed a ready-to-wear capsule collection made from sustainable materials with H&M. It was also a notable success for the Spanish fashion enthusiast as Ross Lydon expresses: "Héctor Bellerín is the leader of the generation that redefined men's style and advocated for positive change." Bellerín insisted on the sustainability of the clothes while creating a highly comfortable, gender-neutral colored collection with many sizes. 

Later, his style on and outside of the pitch inspired other footballers to develop their styles. However, it was not easy to reach where he belonged - the top.

They laughed at first. Then they were cool with it. Now they want to be a part of it.

Bellerín has been involved in fashion-related initiatives, advocating for sustainability and eco-friendly practices within the industry. He is known for his interest in environmentalism and sustainability. This brings us to his environmentalist side which everyone should take as an example. In addition to adopting a vegan lifestyle, which is often associated with environmental concerns, Bellerín has taken steps to contribute to environmental causes. 

One notable initiative was his involvement in reforestation efforts. To reduce the carbon footprint of the team's travels, Bellerín promised to plant 3,000 trees for each Arsenal victory in 2020. This project was a component of a larger effort to sustain the environment.

Furthermore, Bellerín has expressed his opinion on the significance of increasing public knowledge of environmental and climate change issues. The talented Héctor knows it is not just about planting trees, it is about planting ideas, through the platform that was given to him as a footballer: 

Given the platform I have; I try to make others more conscious of this as well. I won’t lie, it is difficult to find an [eco] conscious athlete in our industry who really cares about these things, until something big really happens. It’s not just my industry though, but everywhere. My message to everyone is we have to protect the earth.

He has promoted a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way of living by using his position as a professional football player. Through the combination of his public image and concrete initiatives like planting trees, Bellerín hopes to improve the environment and encourage others to think about their ecological footprint. He uses electric cars, recyclates, and cruelty-free products.

In addition to being a football player and fashion designer, Bellerín is also an activist since he uses his power to advocate for causes and raise awareness. However, the term "activist" is a loaded term; some may view him as an activist because of his strong stance on issues like veganism and environmentalism, while others may see him primarily as an athlete who happens to support causes close to his heart. In my opinion, Bellerín proves the latter otherwise; he is a multi-talented person of many interests. He believes in human progress and society's capacity to grow. Furthermore, Bellerín does not hesitate to be involved in social and political issues. He boldly expressed his opinions on Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022:

It is quite difficult to see that we are more interested in this war than in others, I don't know if it is because they are more like us or because the conflict can affect us more directly both economically and in terms of refugees.

He then added examples of various other conflicts around the world to support his argument.

The Palestinian war has been completely silenced, and no one speaks about it, Yemen, Iraq... now Russia not being able to play in the World Cup is something that other countries have faced for many years.

Apart from his involvement regarding international matters, Bellerín is an active follower of the events that are happening in Spain. He considers himself a "leftist" and works to make things better by helping to reshape societal constructs.

Yes, I am a leftist. I have nothing to hide. We need to have a society that moves forward, where everyone helps each other. In this sense, I would like to see more activism from other players, but I understand that it is difficult.

It has been an incredible journey to witness Héctor Bellerín flourish in other fields as he built not only a football legacy but something bigger for the next generations to come. His presence makes us hopeful about the future as Bellerín establishes a precedent for footballers as well as people with passions. He encourages and embraces people with bright ideas.