Manuel Akanji has been a defensive cornerstone for both club and country, and his arrival for Switzerland’s World Cup clash against Qatar carried the same quiet confidence he brings to every fixture. The Manchester City centre-back stepped off the team bus in Oakley Meta OW8001 Vanguard smart glasses, the bold, sculpted frame cutting a strikingly modern silhouette against his matchday attire.
The Vanguard’s architectural geometry is a world away from conventional sports eyewear, and on Akanji it registered as deliberate and self-assured — the kind of accessory that signals focus without a word. With tournament football demanding composure on and off the pitch, Akanji’s eyewear choice reflected a player who knows exactly what he is about.
Off the pitch, Akanji has kept his public image similarly composed, and the smart-glasses choice suggested a player equally comfortable with tradition and with whatever comes next in the sport’s rapid modernisation. The result was a look that felt both forward-thinking and entirely his own.
The Oakley Meta OW8001 Vanguard is a performance-oriented smart sunglasses model that combines Oakley’s sport design with integrated wearable technology. Crafted from lightweight O Matter™, it features a wrap-inspired rectangular frame for enhanced coverage and stability. Typically equipped with Prizm™ or polarized lenses, it provides improved visual clarity and sun protection. The ergonomic construction ensures a secure and comfortable fit, supporting both active use and everyday wear.
