The football circle explodes!

The football circle is in turmoil! The 2025 SportsPro Most Valuable Athletes list has been released, with 18 football players occupying the top 50 seats. The contrast in the rankings of the two football kings directly shocked the fans - Cristiano Ronaldo soared 4 places to 5th, but Messi plummeted 11 places to 16th, and was overtaken by Mbappe and Vinicius!

A major reshuffle of the top star pattern

- Cristiano Ronaldo (5th, Riyadh victory): A solid example of evergreen football in 20 years! With an unparalleled career length, a huge fitness business empire and world-class recognition, at the age of 40, he is still firmly ranked as the number one businessman in the football circle.

- Neymar (No. 6, Santos): Returning to Santos has enhanced his charm! The personal charm and gorgeous playing style of this football "entertainer" still attract sponsors.

- Mbappe (No. 13, Real Madrid)& Vinicius (No. 14, Real Madrid): Real Madrid's twin stars counterattacked to become the new generation benchmark! Mbappe's potential as a future world champion + Vinicius' vitality and fan-attracting physique directly leave Messi behind.

- Messi (No. 16, Inter Miami): Although the ranking has declined, the "ball king effect" is still there-the transfer to MLS has successfully expanded the North American market and continued business vitality with a low-key attitude.

The rise of two new forces

1. The dominance of the post-2000 generation has emerged: 18-year-old Yamal (No. 23, Barcelona) has set a record as the youngest high-value rising star in football, holds multiple endorsements such as Adidas, and even increases commercial value by controlling the circulation of signatures; Saka (No. 19, Arsenal), Musiala (No. 45, Bayern) and other new generations have gained countless fans with their "people-friendly feeling".

2. Favored by diverse values: Rashford (No. 32, on loan from Barcelona) has become the brand's new favorite for his off-field charity; women's football legends Putras (No. 36, Barcelona) and Mead (No. 46, Arsenal) were strongly shortlisted, demonstrating the explosion of the commercial value of women's football.

Unpopularity and surprise

- The biggest dark horse: Bellingham plummeted 66 places and fell out of the top 50. His playing time was limited and he was not selected for the England national team, which directly dragged down the commercial value;

- Star disappointment: Haaland, De Bruyne and other powerful players were all outside the 50th place, confirming that "skills ≠ commercial value".

In the SportsPro survey, each athlete's overall market value score is composed of three weighted dimensions, with a perfect score of 100:

Brand strength - measures the degree of connection between athletes, fans and sponsors;

Reachable market - assesses the size and interaction level of their global fan base;

Economic value - considers commercial value and potential growth space.

Michael Long, Director of Key Projects at SportsPro, explained: "The annual 'Top 50 Most Marketable Athletes' list has become an important benchmark in the sports industry, providing a valuable template for insight into the business image shaping of the world's top athletes."

Chris, President and CEO of Polaris Solutions Group ·Collins added: "This list is a benchmark reference for athletes' commercial value and an action guide for decision-makers. We optimize the evaluation model every year and truly reflect the dynamics of value creation by combining momentum index and personal image data."

The list is based on three dimensions: brand power, global audience, and commercial potential, and can be called an industry barometer. The strong proportion of 18 football players once again proves the dominance of football in the global sports business - from Ronaldo's legendary longevity to Yamal's emergence, football stories are always worth looking forward to!

Mini-game recommendations:Match Football Brazil or Argentina