Cristiano Ronaldo Named World's Most Marketable Footballer

Cristiano Ronaldo

World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world's most marketable footballer, heading a list created by market research experts 'Repucom.'

Ronaldo, who recently helped Real Madrid to their tenth European Cup win after a victory over Atletico Madrid in Lisbon, is known by 83.9 per cent of people globally according to the findings. The Portuguese captain has 82 million fans on Facebook and 26 million followers on Twitter, and is seen as the best 'trend-setter' in the football world. 82.5% of people quizzed believe the 29-year-old forward reflects trends in today's society.

The former Manchester United star tops the chart ahead of four time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, with Messi's Barcelona team-mate Gerard Pique coming in third position in the poll. The
Argentinian boasts 57 million Facebook likes and a global awareness score of 76%, while Pique, who is married to pop star Shakira, scored 58% in third.

Both Messi and Pique have been key members of the Barcelona side that have been dominant in the club game over the last several years. The Catalan giants have won two Champions League trophies within the last five seasons as well as four Spanish league titles since the 2008/09 season.

'With just over two weeks to go before the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off, the world's gaze is firmly on the competing teams and players," Paul Smith, founder and CEO of Repucom said in a press release. "The World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world and as such, big brands, official partners or otherwise, will and are using its global appeal to drive sales."

Smith added: "Endorsements of celebrities and in this case footballers have an incredibly powerful way of doing just that creating an emotional connection with a brand. The star can raise awareness and create a buzz for brands and products at a time when breaking through the marketing clutter that surrounds such huge events is critical for commercial success.