Lionel Messi, often labelled the world’s best player along with Ronaldo, is second in the list, while his Barcelona team-mate Gerard Pique makes a surprise entry in the top three.
Perhaps the biggest eyebrow-raiser, however, is Fernando Torres’ ranking of fourth in the table, compiled by global sports market research experts ‘Repucom’. The Chelsea frontman has struggled for form at Stamford Bridge following his £50million transfer from Liverpool in January 2011.
Wayne Rooney makes the top five on the list – the Manchester United star has 20 million Facebook fans and will be England’s best-known player at the World Cup.
Ronaldo, who has a staggering 82m fans on Facebook and 26m followers on Twitter, won his second FIFA Ballon d’Or earlier this year and is also seen as the best ‘trend-setter’ with 82.5 per cent of those asked saying the Portugal forward reflects trends in today’s society. The 29-year-old, who recently posed with girlfriend Irina Shayk, is also known by 83.9 per cent of people globally.
The Argentine, who has won the Ballon d’Or four times, has been Barcelona’s talisman during their dominance in recent years and is the world’s best-paid star earning around £16million a year.
Pique, meanwhile, has been equally as impressive at the back for the Spanish giants having returned to the club from Manchester United back in 2008.
The Spain centre half has won everything in the game, including three Champions League trophies and the World Cup in 2010.
However, Pique’s fame is heightened further to due to the fact he is married to Colombian pop star Shakira having met the singer while filming a music video for Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), which was the official song of the World Cup held four years ago.
More than 58 per cent of people around the globe have heard of the centre back while in Spain it is 97 per cent.
His international team-mate Torres has often been labelled a flop during his three-and-a-half years at Chelsea, having scored a paltry 20 goals in 110 appearances.
However, ‘El Nino’, who previously impressed for Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, has won the World Cup and two European Championships with his country.
Torres had amassed two million Twitter followers as of this month, the same number as Messi.
The top 10 is completed by Barcelona pair Andres Iniesta and Neymar, Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and former Arsenal star Thierry Henry, now plying his trade in America with the New York Red Bulls.
Paul Smith, Founder and CEO of Repucom said: ‘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. 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.
‘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.
‘Ronaldo is an endorser’s dream. His value is as important to the teams he plays for as they are for the companies that endorse him.’
- Daily Mail
