Football is the most followed sport in the world; a reason why most brands prefer to engage professional football players to promote their products. This has led to football players not just earning massive wages but also from a wide range of brand endorsements. Some players even make smart investments in their preferred brands and manage to obtain profits as well.
Sports Pro 50MM recently released a list of Top 150 most marketable athletes in 2024 with a majority of the list comprising football stars among other sports.
The criteria for the list had three major points –
Let’s take a look at the Most Marketable Players in World Football in 2024.
Spain and Barcelona Women’s team superstar, Aitana Bonmati is one of the best women’s players in the world and deservedly getting the brand endorsements deals coming her way.
She is the highest paid women footballer in the world currently with a new bumper contract with Barcelona that will see her earn €1 Million per year. Her impressive brand portfolio includes Nissan, Revlon, Bimbo, Alpro and Topps. In addition, she traded her Nike contract for a highly lucrative deal with German Sportswear brand Adidas in June 2024 which was the most expensive deal for a women’s football player till now.
Being announced as the ‘Women’s Ballon d’Or for a second time running is definitely going to raise her stocks as more brands will be queuing up for her association.
England captain and Bayern München striker, Harry Kane makes it to the most marketable list of football players in the world. He had been one of the most prolific scorers in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur before making a big money switch to the most successful Bundesliga Club, Bayern München.
Harry Kane’s yearly salary is an approximate €25 million. He also earns from the numerous brand endorsement deals. His brand kitty includes Skechers, Allianz, Reflo, Cadbury, TocaFootball and Oxefit currently.
He has also collaborated with global brands like Nike, Hugo Boss, Lucozade Sport to name a few.
England and Arsenal Women’s forward Beth Mead is also part of this illustrious list of the most marketable football players. The European Golden Boot winner in 2022 is also one of the best players in the Women’s Super League having won many trophies with Arsenal.
Beth Mead’s yearly salary is in excess of €300,000 in addition to the lucrative brand endorsement deals that include big brands like Elle UK, Nike, McDonald’s, Budweiser and Cognita.
Former USA Women’s National team captain and former striker for the Diego Wave FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Alex Morgan has been one of the most popular names in Women’s football so it’s hardly a surprise that she features in this list.
Her annual salary in 2023 was estimated at $800,000 but a major chunk of her income came from brand endorsements. In 2022, she overtook the likes of Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in brand endorsements deals as she tied up with an astounding 27 brands in a single calendar year.
Her current brand endorsement deals include global brands like Coca Cola, Nike, McDonald’s and Dior. In addition, she also endorsed Google, Chipotle, Michelob Ultra and AT&T among other brands.
England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is the newest super star on the block. He was signed by one of the most storied clubs in the world in 2023 and already added a Spanish La Liga and a Champions League trophy within a year. He had a stellar season for Real Madrid which also saw him in the Top 3 of the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Of course, the big brands would line up for the 20-year-old star. Jude Bellingham’s yearly salary at Real Madrid amounts to approximately €25 million. As for his brand endorsements, he has been onboarded by brands such as Adidas, EASports FC, Lucozade, McDonald’s in addition to a massive deal with luxury brand Louis Vuitton which has increased his brand value landing him in the Top 10 of the most marketable footballers in the world.
Brazil and Al Hilal Player, Neymar Júnior is one of the most loved football players after Messi and Ronaldo. South American flair along with his off-field antics have made him popular with not only football lovers but also with brands who like to associate with bold and quirky characters.
Neymar made a mega money switch to Saudi Pro League club, Al Hilal from French Champions Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Neymar earns $80 million a year in gross salary.
In addition to the enormous salary package, Neymar also earns from his expansive brand endorsements kitty that include Puma, Red Bull, Blaze, Replay, Diesel Fragrances, Above Cosmeticos and e.Go Mobile. He has also endorsed Epic Games, Flutter Entertainment, Qatar Airways, Triller, Netflix, Facebook Gaming, Pokerstars, Beats Electronics, Gagá Milano, Superdry, DAZN, EA, Gillette, and MasterCard.
One of the best players of this generation, still going strong at 39, Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed personality on Instagram with a whopping 642 million followers. His most successful stint was with La Liga Giants Real Madrid; winning major honours with them including five Champions League trophies and several Ballon d’Or awards. He now plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al Nassr and takes home a massive €200 million a year.
Ronaldo also earns millions from a wide-range of brand deals including Nike, Herbalife, Bioniq, Whoop, Jacob & Co., Tag Heuer, Livescore, Clear, MTG, Altice Portugal, DAZN, American Tourister, Binance, Saudi Tourism, Garena Free Fire, UFL.
Ronaldo has also invested in multiple brands like Whoop, Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels, 7EGEND, Ursu9, Chrono24, CR7 Fragrances, CR7 Fitness etc.
The most sought-after name in football with his impending move to Real Madrid from PSG being the most viral topic on social media until he joined the La Liga giants in 2024. Kylian Mbappé is tipped as the successor to the likes of Ronaldo and Messi and future Ballon d’Or winner. The prolific striker is also the captain of the France National Team and already a one-time World Cup winner with Les Bleus. Naturally, the young Frenchman has a lot of brand endorsement deals to his name.
He earns a massive yearly salary of €70 million at Real Madrid. He has an impressive brand portfolio that boasts of global brands like Nike, Hublot, Oakley, Accor, Dior and Orange. He has also been associated with Panini, Sorare and EA Sports FC in the past.
Regarded as the best player of his generation, Leo Messi played at La Liga giants Barcelona for most of his career and currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the USA. Messi has won every club and country trophy possible and due to his success and global popularity; the Argentine is still one of the most marketable athletes in the world.
Messi currently earns $12 million per year in wages but his earnings from brand endorsements far exceeds that. Messi has lucrative brand associations with Adidas, Pepsi, BitGet, Lay’s, eFootball, Gatorade, Budweiser, Mastercard, Hard Rock International, Michelob Ultra, Loewe’s, Beats by Dre among others.
Brazil and Real Madrid winger, Vinícius Jr. is the most marketable footballer in the world right now. One of Real Madrid’s best players, he has been consistent over the past few seasons winning multiple La Liga and Champions League trophies which has seen his value grow by leaps and bounds. Vinícius Jr. is regarded as one of the best players in the world right now and came second in the Ballon d’Or which could further add to his already burgeoning brand portfolio.
Vinícius Jr. is currently earning a salary of €25 million per year at Real Madrid. Apart from this, his expansive brand portfolio consists of massive deals with global brands like Nike, Red Bull, TCL, Unilever, Gatorade, Clear Men, Pepsi, Golden Concept, Betnacional, EA Sports FC and Gillette.
Barcelona and ex-manager and legend Xavi Hernández parted ways after the end of last season…
In this article, we present to you our predictions for this year's Formula 1 Las…
Formula 1 drivers are bona fide global stars, widely recognized not just in the motorsport…
Here's our preview for the third ODI of the 2024 New Zealand tour of Sri…
Xerox onboard as Official Global Partner British Formula One team Aston Martin has signed a…
Iconic Italian Formula One team Ferrari have announced a new multi-year partnership agreement with Scotch…