Apple's unannounced Beats headphones have surfaced once again, this time on England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, suggesting the long-rumoured over-ear cans could be nearing an official reveal.
The latest sighting comes via a comparatively small Instagram post from Manchester United fan account united.core, showing Mainoo wearing a pair of previously unseen Beats headphones alongside teammate Marcus Rashford.
Curiously, I was unable to trace the image back to an original source.
A reverse-image search using TinEye returned no matches, indicating the photograph has yet to appear elsewhere online.
That could mean this is one of the earliest public appearances of the mystery headphones to date.
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The design matches earlier leaks but appears in a new colourway, featuring white earcups paired with dark blue ear cushions.
It's the third public appearance of the mystery headphones in recent weeks.
Previous sightings included Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal and South Korean star Lee Kang-in, with each athlete wearing a different colour combination.
That growing collection of finishes hints that Beats could be planning an unusually broad colour lineup at launch.
More than just another leak?
The repeated football connections are particularly notable, with every major sighting so far involving players competing at or associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This suggests Beats may be using elite athletes as part of a coordinated teaser campaign, which is not uncommon for the brand.
There's also a possibility that the contrasting colours point to some form of customisation.
While there's no evidence that ear cushions or other components are interchangeable, the different combinations seen so far have sparked speculation that Beats could be experimenting with a more modular design.
For now, though, Apple and Beats remain tight-lipped about what could become the company's first major over-ear headphone release since the Beats Studio Pro launched in 2023.
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