Excluding Messi, Ronaldo is officially recognized as the world’s number one

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the player with the highest commercial value in 2025, as Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham fall behind.

Cristiano Ronaldo was recently recognized as the footballer with the highest commercial value worldwide, surpassing stars like Lionel Messi and Jude Bellingham, according to SportsPro’s 16th annual ranking. This study includes athletes from various sports, with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton ranked highest overall, while Ronaldo placed fifth, ahead of Neymar who is sixth.

This year’s SportsPro ranking features no football players in the top four, with Hamilton leading, followed by Simone Biles, Ilona Maher, and Steph Curry. Consequently, Ronaldo is the highest-ranked footballer on the list, with Neymar right behind him. Each athlete is scored out of 100 points on the Total Marketability Score, based on three factors: Brand Strength, Total Addressable Market, and Economics.

In total, 18 footballers made it into the top 50: Ronaldo, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski (11), Kylian Mbappé (13), Vinícius Jr (14), Lionel Messi (16), Bukayo Saka (19), Lamine Yamal (23), Harry Kane (28), Raphinha (30), Marcus Rashford (32), Achraf Hakimi (34), Alexia Putellas (36), Mohamed Salah (43), Rodrygo (44), Jamal Musiala (45), Beth Mead (46), and Dani Olmo (49). Messi dropped 11 places compared to last year, while Ronaldo rose by 4 positions.

Several other major names did not appear in the top 50 but remain within the top 100, including Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer, Kevin De Bruyne, Jude Bellingham, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Notably, Bellingham fell 66 places from the previous year.

Mr. Michael Long, Project Director at SportsPro, commented: “The ranking of the top 50 most commercially valuable athletes has become a crucial benchmark in the sports industry, reflecting how leading stars shape their image and brand influence each year.

This year’s list continues to showcase a mix of global icons and rising stars who not only excel on the field but also make a significant impact off it. For brands, agencies, and rights holders, it remains the clearest and most objective tool to measure an athlete’s commercial appeal.”

Mr. Chris Collins, Chairman and CEO of NorthStar Solutions Group, added:

“This list serves both as an industry standard and a practical guide for decision-makers. Each year, we refine the model to accurately reflect how value is created — combining scoring data, market trends, and athlete identity frameworks. This helps brands, agencies, and sponsors easily assess fit, while enabling athletes to understand how to develop their image and brand positioning.”

Although 40 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to show remarkable form, scoring 6 goals in 7 matches for Al-Nassr this season across all competitions. He remains focused on participating in the 2026 World Cupwith Portugal, determined to claim the only major title missing from his illustrious career. As one of the world’s most famous figures, Ronaldo still competes at a high level in the twilight of his career.

The Portuguese star once shared: “I want to keep playing for a few more years, not many, but enough to contribute. I can still achieve great things and help my club and national team. So why stop now?”

He added: “The important thing is to enjoy every moment… because I know I don’t have many years left to play, but I want to cherish and make the most of the time remaining.”

Ronaldo will return to action when Al-Nassr faces Goa in the AFC Cup next Wednesday. Being recognized as the world’s most commercially valuable player is surely a well-deserved reward for the Portuguese legend, who wrote on social media platform X: “Success is not accidental.”

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