Why Mexico returned SteveWillDoIt's Rolex gifts: The controversy explained

Khizar Mundia Published 06/07/2026

Stephen “SteveWillDoIt” Rocco Deleonardis celebrated a recent win by gifting the Mexican national football team Rolex watches, but the gesture quickly became controversial, leading to the team returning the gifts.

Interest in predicting the outcomes of major sporting events surges whenever tournaments are underway. FIFA has even partnered with ADI Predictstreet, marking the World Cup’s official entry into prediction markets. American YouTuber SteveWillDoIt reportedly staked $2 million on Mexico advancing to the Round of 16. After Mexico qualified, SteveWillDoIt celebrated by gifting the team luxury watches, but here’s why the move became controversial.

Image credit: SteveWillDoIt

Why did Mexico return SteveWillDoIt’s Rolex gifts?

Mexico are joint-hosts for the 2026 World Cup and after a fantastic group stage — where they won Group A convincingly — they then defeated Ecuador 2-0 to reach the last-16. SteveWillDoIt entered the Mexican team’s training facility, stating that he loves Mexico, and his dog’s name is Juan Carlos.

The streamer then went on to open a box and tell the team that all the players and staff would be gifted Rolex watches worth $1 million. He called up six players, including the captain, and gave them picks over the watches, stating they are “all green faces, presidential Rolex.” One of the players asked SteveWillDoIt why he was gifting them such expensive watches. The streamer replied that he lives in Mexico, had backed the team to win for $2 million, and the watches are essentially free. The team was excited, chanting and even throwing the streamer into the air.

SteveWillDoIt Mexico Rolex

The video of the giveaway went viral almost instantly, with many viewers praising SteveWillDoIt for sharing his winnings with the team. However, soon after the video gained traction, the Mexican team released a statement confirming that the players would be returning the Rolexes to SteveWillDoIt. The statement said the watches were gifted entirely on the streamer’s own initiative, and that the team had collectively decided to return them. It did not provide a detailed explanation for the decision or what will now happen to the wristwatches.

This wasn’t the first time the streamer had made such a gesture, as he’s known for his giveaways. However, the seemingly wholesome incident was soon overshadowed by controversy, with several factors potentially contributing to the decision. Firstly, the Mexican team is sponsored by luxury watchmaker Hublot, meaning accepting Rolex watches could have conflicted with its sponsorship agreement. Secondly, FIFA’s Code of Ethics places restrictions on players accepting high-value gifts, as such gifts may create a conflict of interest.

Despite the support from SteveWillDoIt, Mexico’s journey in the tournament is now over — they were defeated 3-2 by England in the last-16 stage, with Thomas Tuchel’s men edging past following a thrilling match that was packed full of action.

Image credit: SteveWillDoIt

Khizar Mundia

About Khizar Mundia

Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.

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