'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Being a world-class athlete obviously comes with its own perks. Popularity in the world of sports gets you lucrative sponsorship deals and SportsPro has compiled the list of the most marketable athletes in the world right now and we have some of the most popular names in the world of sports leading the list.
The 50 Most Marketable (50MM) Athletes list of 2020 is powered by Nielsen’s proprietary athlete marketability assessment methodology. The list analyzes key social media data in order to rank athletes based on their performance and sponsorship deals. The variables looked at are social media following, content engagement, fanbase growth overtime etc.
The list essentially helps sponsors identify athletes who will get them the maximum reach and effectiveness across all platforms.
List courtesy: SportsProMedia
#10 Paulo Dybala
Juventus attacking midfielder Paulo Dybala is at 10th on the list with an Athlete Influencer Score of 100. The Argentine is one of the most recognizable faces in world football and has been one of the players who were earmarked to be a successor to Lionel Messi.
Dybala has a lucrative deal with Adidas and has 40 million followers on Instagram. 'La Joya' doesn't post a whole lot of branded content but when he does, his fanbase does sit back and notice.
Dybala is a star and he has got the ability and also the unique opportunity of playing alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, at the international and club level respectively.
#9 Mohamad Salah
Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian king, was thrust into popularity after joining Liverpool and tearing up the Premier League for the Merseysiders. Salah has been a cut above the rest and has gone on to win the UEFA Champions League and the Premier league titles for Jurgen Klopp's side.
Salah is the most popular sportspersons to have come from Egypt and as such, he is absolutely adored in his home country. Mo Salah has 40.4 million followers on Instagram currently.
Pepsi Global has signed some of the world's best footballers as its endorsers and Salah is one of them. He has a number of sponsor deals in his kitty with brands like Vodafone, Falken Tires and Uber to name a few.
He was presented the GQ Middle East Man of the Year Award in 2019. At 28 years of age, Salah still has quite a few years in him and as one of the nicest guys in football, the appeal is very understandable.
#8 Rohit Sharma
For a very long time, the Indian cricket team wasn't so dominant. Now that has changed. The newer breed of Indian cricketers have changed the way they are perceived around the world and their domination has translated to worldwide popularity and though cricket is not as popular as basketball or football, Indian cricketers are some of the most marketable athletes in the world.
Rohit Sharma does paid partnership campaigns with the likes of Adidas and Dream XI and has 15.8 million followers on Instagram. He was also recently seen endorsing the La Liga. According to several sources, Rohit Sharma's net worth was calculated at $18.7 million in 2019.
In a cricket-crazy country like India, Rohit Sharma is a hero and the 'Hitman' is also the only cricketer to score three double hundreds in 50-over cricket. He has endorsement deals with major brands like Maggi, Nissan, Aristocrat, Lays, Oppo and Hublot among several others.
#7 Khabib Nurmagomedov
The reigning UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the biggest attractions in the world of fighting right now. His dominance in the cage has been unprecedented and has now gone 28 matches without a defeat in what is the longest undefeated streak in the history of MMA.
Khabib was announced the most successful Russian athlete by the Forbes magazine in June this year. The 32-year-old is the brand ambassador for SalamPay, a payment service. Khabib is also sponsored by other big brands such as Reebok, Gorilla Energy and Toyota.
Khabib was reportedly paid $1 million just to attend Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz 2. The 32-year-old has 21.6 million followers on Instagram currently. He has an Athlete Influencer Score of 106.
#6 Neymar Jr
Love him or hate him, Neymar Jr. is one of the finest football players on the planet and the most likely player to succeed the likes of Ronaldo and Messi at the top of the game. The Brazilian is one of the most popular athletes in the world thanks to his eye-catching style of play and his incredible record.
Nike is Neymar's main sponsor. The 28-year-old is also sponsored by brands such as Jordan, Red Bull, McDonalds, Gillette, MasterCard, Honda among others. Neymar became the most expensive player in the world when he was bought by Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for a whopping €222 million in the summer of 2017.
#5 Bianca Andreescu
The 20-year-old Canadian tennis sensation Bianca Andreescu is fifth on the list above Neymar. She is the highest ranked Canadian in the history of the Women's Tennis Association. She made headlines after defeating Serena Williams on her way to winning both the US Open and the Canadian Open in 2019.
Bianca Andreesu has been sponsored by brands like Rolex, Head, Nike, Copper Branch and BMW. Andreescu has a Sports Influencer Score of 107. The fist ever Canadian to win a Grand Slam, Bianca Andreescu has 670k followers on Instagram and is currently one of the most marketable athletes on the planet.
#4 Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is one of the best batsmen to have ever graced the game and he has seen his social media reach grow massively over the past two years. The Indian Cricket Team captain currently has 80.5 million followers on Instagram and is one of the most popular sports personalities in the world.
Kohli's networth is reportedly estimated upwards of $119 million and he endorses a variety of brands like Great Learning, iQOO, Blue Star, Wellman, Himalaya, Myntra, Google Duo, Mobile Premier League, Shyam Steel, Puma, HeroMotoCorp, Colgate, Volini and the brand he co-created called Wrogn.
Kohli is one of the most fiery personalities in the world of sports and he is one of those players who wear their heart on their sleeves and is immensely popular for the sheer manner in which he dominates opponents. He has a Sports Influencer Score of 109.
#3 Lebron James
One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Los Angeles Lakers' Lebron James continues to be among the most marketable sporting entities on the planet. Lebron James has been crowned the MVP four times in his illustrious career.
Lebron has a lifetime sponsorship from Nike, and brand partnerships with Rimowa, Coca-Cola (Sprite and Powerade), Upper Deck, Beats Electronics, Blaze Pizza, State Farm Insurance, Audemars Piguet, Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, Kia Motors, Intel and Verizon.
Lebron James has a Sports Influencer Rating of 110.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo will go down in history as one of the greatest footballers of all time and we have been blessed to watch this incredible athlete dominate the world of football for a decade and a half now.
He has played for the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus after starting out at Sporting Lisbon and continues to perform at the highest level despite being 35-years-old.
Ronaldo's brand partners include Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels, Insparya, Nike, Herbalife Nutrition, DAZN, Clear, MTG, Altice, American Tourister, Abbott among several others.
With 238 million followers, Cristiano Ronaldo has the most popular Instagram account in the world. He has an Athlete Influencer Score of 113.
#1 Lionel Messi
The 6-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is currently the most marketable athlete in the world. The Barcelona legend edges out career-long rival Cristiano Ronaldo to top the list with an Athlete Influencer Score of 115.
Lionel Messi, who has 167 million followers on Instagram, has a lifetime deal with Adidas and has lucrative endorsement deals with Gatorade, Huawei and Mastercard among others. He was named the highest-paid athlete in the world by Forbes magazine in 2019.
Lionel Messi made headlines earlier this summer by announcing that he is going to leave his lifelong club Barcelona after growing frustrated with the club's management. However, he has since pulled a 180. It would have been an exit that could have cost Barcelona an incredible amount of money.
At 33 years of age, Lionel Messi continues to clock incredible numbers and continues to produce moments of magic on the football field. Not bad for someone who was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency as a child, eh?
