Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami forward, has claimed the top spot on SportsPro’s latest rankings of the Most Marketable Athletes in the world, surpassing basketball legend LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. The list highlights the dominance of football as the most marketable sport, with 22 out of the top 50 athletes being footballers, including four in the top 10.

Michael Long, the Editorial Director of SportsPro Media, discussed Messi’s rise to the number one position on The Footballco Business Podcast. He emphasized that various factors are taken into account when determining an athlete’s ranking, such as the sport’s popularity, total addressable market, market value, and initiatives undertaken by the athlete.

Football’s global reach and extensive media coverage contribute significantly to Messi’s market dominance. As milliоns of people tune in to watch football matches, Messi benefits from the sport’s unparalleled marketability on a global scale. Surpassing LeBron James is an impressive accomplishment, indicating that football’s brand strength is growing in the United States. Despite the NBA being a U.S.-based sport with a more limited global reach compared to football, James secured the second spot on the list, surpassing athletes from sports like soccer, tennis, and basketball.

Michael further explained that Messi’s personal factors played a crucial role in his top ranking. As a generational talent and widely considered the greatest football player of all time, Messi’s achievements and reputation contributed to his high rank. His Total Marketability Score, which is based on three pillars—Total Addressable Market, Athlete Brand Strength, and ECON-Triple Bottom Line—reflects his success in various areas.

In terms of Total Addressable Market, which measures an athlete’s reach and engagement, Messi excels with over 500 million followers on Instagram alone, placing him in the top 1-2% of athletes in these aspects. This pillar accounts forapproximately 45% of an athlete’s marketability score, and Messi achieves a remarkable ranking of 44.35/45.

Messi’s Athlete Brand Strength, comprising 35% of the score, takes into account factors such as authenticity, brand reputation, in-sport performance, and alignment with social and environmental causes. Messi’s public support for various initiatives, including being a UNICEF ambassador and his own foundation, resonates with fans and brands alike. His exceptional in-sport performances, including winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup and receiving eight Ballon d’Or trophies, further enhance his brand strength. Messi achieves a Brand Strength ranking of 30.46/35, significantly higher than his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The ECON-Triple Bottom Line considers an athlete’s economic impact, social return on investment (ROI), and environmental return on objective (ROO). Messi’s massive global following on Instagram, combined with his marketability and in-sport earnings, contribute to his perfect score of 20/20 in this aspect.

Messi’s move to Inter Miami brought him back into the spotlight and strengthened his brand. It also introduced him to the U.S. sports market, the largest sports business market worldwide, where he garnered significant attention despite football’s relative lack of popularity. His presence in the MLS increased ticket prices for matches and boosted subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+. Brands recognized Messi’s influence in the U.S. market, as seen by his appearance in a Suρer Bowl ad for Michelob Ultra.

Messi’s global star status and impact on the market are unparalleled, raising the question of whether any other athlete can reach a similar level of influence.