The Top 20 Most Popular Footballers by Brand
Brandtix have released a list, compiled via a sophisticated algorithm that measures performances on the pitch, social media presence and the fan view of an athlete to determine the value of their brand.
As board member Reggie Bradford explains, Brandtix "marries professional soccer players’ performance statistics with their social media scores to create an index of the value of their brands, a sort of Nasdaq of footballers, marketed to interested parties such as agents, broadcasters, and owners."
Everything is taken into account, for instance, Gerard Pique's relationship with Shakira earns him major plus points.
With that in mind, here are the top 20 most popular players by the value of their brands.
20. Cesc Fabregas - Chelsea
19. David De Gea - Manchester United
18. Marcelo - Real Madrid
17. Sergio Aguero - Manchester City
16. Manuel Neuer - Bayern Munich
15. Karim Benzema - Real Madrid
14. Gerard Pique - Barcelona
13. Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid
12. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United
11. David Luiz - Paris Saint-Germain
10. Iker Casillas - FC Porto
9. Gareth Bale - Real Madrid
8. Andres Iniesta - Barcelona
7. James Rodriguez - Real Madrid
6. Mesut Özil - Arsenal
5. Luis Suarez - Barcelona
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Paris Saint-Germain
3. Lionel Messi - Barcelona
2. Neymar - Barcelona
1. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid