The battle between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took another twist recently, as the Argentine maestro was named the most marketable athlete in the world for the second time in his career, while the Al Nassr man only came in at 27 on the list.
A study done by data analysts at Sports Pro Media found that Messi’s recent successes and his move to MLS side Inter Miami have greatly increased his marketing potential, making him the most marketable athlete in the world, beating LA Lakers’ Lebron James, who finished second.
Messi previously topped the list for the first time in his career in 2020 and has reached the summit once again after leading Argentina to World Cup glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and sealing a blockbuster move to Miami.
Last year’s most marketable athlete and Messi’s biggest football rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, took a deep plunge, falling 26 places to finish 27th in the 2023 rankings.
Mbappe, Rapinoe, Morgan join Messi in top 10
The only other male football player to finish in the top 10 this year was Messi’s former Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kylian Mbappe, who came in at 9th.
Other football stars in the top 10 include US women’s national team stars Alex Morgan and Meghan Rapinoe, who recently retired from the sport.
With Messi expected to clinch an incredible eighth Ballon d’Or award at the end of the month, there is no doubt that his stock will rise even further, maintaining his spot at the top of the list.
