Lionel Messi Leads 5 Most Marketable Footballers of 2023, Ronaldo Ranked 7th

• Lionel Messi is the most marketable sports personality in 2023
• The Argentine moved to America with Inter Miami in July 2023
• Cristiano Ronaldo is ranked lower on the 'most marketable' list

Lionel Messi continues to dominate football and sports generally, still setting the pace for American sports personalities despite moving into the country in July 2023.

The Inter Miami captain has grown in influence and popularity despite playing in the lower-rated American league, Major League Soccer, after ending his adventure in Europe.

Per SSRS, he is the most famous athlete in the United States, becoming the first soccer player to sit in the number one spot, surpassing basketball legend LeBron James.

According to a ranking released by Sports Pro, he is the most marketable athlete in the world, topping a list of 50 stars across different sports, surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers star James yet again.

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Sports Brief looks at the top five most marketable men footballers on the list.

Five most marketable footballers

1. Lionel Messi

Messi has a marketability score of 94.81%, according to the publication. This was influenced by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, his influence on the MLS since his arrival and the social impact of the brands he worked for, including Adidas, Pepsi and MasterCard.

2. Kylian Mbappe

The Paris Saint-Germain star placed ninth on the overall list and is the second male footballer with a score of 89%. He has a YouTube channel with over 450,000 subscribers, which contributed to his rating. He is rumoured to be joining Real Madrid in the summer, which could further boost his global appeal.

3. Robert Lewandowski

The Polish striker was placed 16th on the overall ranking and third male star, scoring 82.96%. He is approaching the end of his career, but he influenced Barcelona to win the La Liga title last year and was named the top scorer. He is endorsed by Nike.

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4. Alphonso Davies

The Canadian full-back is the fourth most marketable footballer and number 20 on the complete list, scoring 79.98%. He works with Nike and EA Sports and is the first footballer to receive the title of UNHCR global goodwill ambassador for his support for the United Nations Refugee Agency.

5. Harry Kane

The English forward, with a score of 79.34%, is the fifth most marketable footballer and 22nd athlete overall. He has a deal with shoemakers Skechers and is also endorsed by Nike and Gatorade.

6. Bukayo Saka

The Arsenal youngster is sixth on the list, with a marketability rating of 78.56%. He is 26th on the overall list and comes ahead of notable superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. He has a signature boot with New Balance.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo - 78.26%

8. Neymar Jr - 76.23%

9. Luis Suarez - 75.95%

10. Erling Haaland - 75.94%

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Most followed footballers on Instagram

Sports Brief previously analysed the five most followed footballers on Instagram after Messi reached 500 million followers on the picture-sharing platform.

The former Barcelona star is second on the list behind Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, the most followed personality on the platform with over 620 million fans.