Football is the most followed sport in the world—a main reason why most brands prefer to work with professional footballers to promote their products. This has led to footballers not just earning massive wages from their on-pitch game but also from a wide range of brand endorsements. Some even make smart investments in their preferred brands and manage to obtain further profits.
SportsPro recently released a list of top 150 most marketable athletes in 2024, a majority of which comprises football stars. The criteria for the list had three major factors taken into consideration:
- brand strength,
- total addressable market (TAM), and
- economics in play.
So let’s take a look at the most marketable players in world football in 2024.
10. Aitana Bonmati (FC Barcelona)
Spain and Barça Femení superstar Aitana Bonmati is one of the best women’s players in the world at the moment and deservedly getting the brand endorsement deals coming her way.
Bonmati is the highest-paid female footballer in the world, having recently signed a new contract with Barcelona that’s worth €1 million per year. The 26-year-old’s brand portfolio includes Nissan, Revlon, Bimbo, Alpro, and Topps. She traded her Nike contract for a more lucrative deal with Adidas in June earlier this year, which is also the biggest deal for a female footballer till now.
Having recently been handed her second Ballon d’Or Féminin, Bonmati’s stock is only going to go up as more brands will be queuing up for her association.
9. Harry Kane (FC Bayern Munich)
England men’s national team captain and Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane has also made it to this list. He was one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur before making a big-money switch to the most successful German Bundesliga side.
Harry Kane’s yearly salary is an approximate €25 million. He also earns from his numerous brand endorsement deals, some of which include agreements with Skechers, Allianz, Reflo, Cadbury, TocaFootball, and Oxefit.
Kane has also collaborated with global brands like Nike, Hugo Boss, and Lucozade Sport to name a few.
8. Beth Mead (Arsenal FC)
The England women’s national team and Arsenal Women forward, winner of the 2022 European Golden Boot, is also one of the best players in the Women’s Super League.
Mead’s yearly salary is in excess of €300,000 in addition to the brand endorsement deals that include big names like Elle, Nike, McDonald’s, Budweiser, and Cognita.
7. Alex Morgan (retired)
The recently-retired former US Women’s National Team (USWNT) captain and San Diego Wave forward has been one of the most popular names in women’s football over the past decade, so it’s hardly a surprise that she features on this list.
Morgan’s annual salary in 2023 was estimated at US$800,000, a major chunk of which came from brand endorsements. In 2022, she overtook the likes of Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in brand endorsement deals as she tied up with an astounding 27 brands in a single calendar year.
The 35-year-old’s current brand endorsement deals include agreements with global giants like Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s, and Dior. She has also endorsed Google, Chipotle, Michelob Ultra, and AT&T among other big names.
6. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid CF)
The England and Real Madrid midfielder is one of the newer superstar names on the block. He was signed by Los Blancos in 2023, and since then he has already added UEFA Champions League and LaLiga medals to his set after a stellar debut season in Madrid, which also put him in the top three of the latest Ballon d’Or rankings.
Naturally, the big brands are lining up for the 21-year-old. Bellingham’s yearly salary at Real Madrid amounts to approximately €25 million. As for his endorsements, he has been on-boarded by brands such as Adidas, EA Sports, Lucozade, and McDonald’s. Recently, he also struck a massive deal with luxury brand Louis Vuitton, which has already made him one of the top 10 most marketable footballers in the world.
5. Neymar Júnior (Al Hilal SFC)
Neymar’s characteristic South American flair along with his off-field antics have made him popular with not only football lovers but also brands that like to associate with bold and quirky characters.
The Brazil forward made a mega-money switch to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. He earns approximately US$80 million a year in gross salary.
In addition to his enormous salary package, Neymar also earns big from his brand endorsements kitty, which includes Puma, Red Bull, Blaze, Replay, Diesel Fragrances, Above Cosmeticos, and e.Go Mobile to name a few. 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.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr FC)
One of the best players of this generation, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong at 39 and is the most followed personality on Instagram with over 642 million followers. His most successful stint came with Real Madrid as he won with them five Champions League trophies and several Ballons d’Or, to name a few. 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 with Nike, Herbalife, Bioniq, Whoop, Jacob & Co., Tag Heuer, Livescore, Clear, MTG, Altice Portugal, DAZN, American Tourister, Binance, Saudi Tourism, Garena Free Fire, and UFL among many others.
Ronaldo has also invested in multiple brands like Whoop, Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels, 7EGEND, Ursu9, Chrono24, CR7 Fragrances, and CR7 Fitness.
3. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid CF)
The impending move of the most sought-after name in football to Real Madrid from PSG was one of the biggest talking points in world football for ages till it finally happened in 2024.
Kylian Mbappé is tipped as a successor to the likes of Ronaldo and Leo Messi and a future Ballon d’Or winner. The prolific striker is also the captain of the France men’s national football team and has already won the World Cup. Naturally, the 25-year-old has already added a lot of endorsement deals to his portfolio.
Mbappé earns a north of €70 million per year at Real Madrid. He has an impressive brand portfolio that boasts global brands like Nike, Hublot, Oakley, Accor, Dior, and Orange. He has also had deals with Panini, Sorare, and EA Sports in the past.
2. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
Regarded as one of the best players of his generation, Leo Messi played at Barcelona for most of his career before moving to PSG and then Inter Miami of Major League Soccer in the US. Messi has won almost every club and country trophy there is to win, and due to his success and global popularity he remains one of the most marketable athletes in the world.
Messi’s playing contract at Inter Miami strictly fetches him US$12 million per year in wages, though he has agreements in place with MLS itself as well as Adidas pertaining to his time in the States, and his earnings from brand endorsements far exceed his playing wages. Messi has lucrative brand associations with Adidas, Pepsi, BitGet, Lay’s, eFootball, Gatorade, Budweiser, Mastercard, Hard Rock International, Michelob Ultra, Loewe’s, and Beats by Dre—just a few of many.
1. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid CF)
The Brazil and Real Madrid winger is the most marketable footballer in the world right now. Vinícius has been consistent over the past few seasons, having won multiple LaLiga and Champions League trophies to exponentially raise his value.
Vinícius is now regarded as one of the best players in the world and recently came second in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
The 24-year-old is currently earning a salary of €25 million per year at Real Madrid. Apart from his playing wages, 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, and Gillette.
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