Football is the most popular and best sport of all time and its popularity has expanded past just its normal fams, it is more than that. As football has been so popular, a lot of footballer names have stuck around, some for the right reason and some for a bad reason. When we sit and think about the biggest footballers of all time, usually this list and the best footballers could go hand in hand and as much as that is true, I am going to take in the cultural impact of these players and think about how the game changed with them.
David Beckham
Before social media was even a thing, David Beckham was one of the most famous men on the planet. Starting his career at Manchester United he quickly became a hero for the club and for fans around the world. Then later in his career, with his moves to Ac Milan, LA Galaxy and Real Madrid, he solidified himself as a footballing icon. His fashion choices were replicated around the world, he married a pop star, and he now has his own Netflix documentary, he was the Harry Styles before the Harry Styles and one haircut would be hot news for weeks to come.
Lionel Messi
Now with Messi and his popularity, his talent is where his popularity comes from, unlike David Beckham who is a fashion icon and had a popstar wife, Messi is one of the most famous men on the planet because he is the best, or one of the best depending on who you talk to. People idolize and worship Messi because of his talent and who he is. I would use this comparison if David Beckham is Harry Styles, then Lionel Messi is Michael Jackon, he is the king of football, the best ever or one of the best ever and worshipped by fans around the world. Whereas Beckham obviously has talent and skill but doesn’t compare. Messi didn’t need to move clubs to gain his popularity and would have been in a one-man club for his entire career if Barcelona could afford it, now he plays for Inter Miami in America and, according to Boylesports football, is on track to win the MLS with them
Cristiano Ronaldo
When it comes to Social Media presence, no one in football can come close to Ronaldo. He has the most followers out of all the footballers, and although Messi holds the most liked picture in Instagram history with him holding the World Cup, for followers, Ronaldo is far ahead. The reason is because of his personality, Messi is an introvert and you can tell he has his talents and wants to play and stay out of the spotlight, but Ronaldo is an extrovert and has a stronger brand than Messi, he uses his personality more and I think his career path also helps with this. With Ronaldo, he has played for multiple clubs around the world and has been loved by all of these clubs and yes, Messi has done the same near the end of his career but he posts about this less and is less of a social presence compared to Ronaldo.
Neymar
Neymar is known for being an entertainer in football and this doesn’t change when he is on social media. He uses his personality and the life that he lives to make excellent social media posts and this is well loved and enjoyed by his fans and even the non-football fans. In 2020 Neymar had a very active TikTok page and posted on it a lot, which amassed him a following of around 8 million. He is one of the stars who understands the importance of social media and what it can do for your career, he even does gaming live streams sometimes which makes him even more likeable.