Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo & LeBron James beaten to No.1 spot on most marketable list – with Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Beth Mead, Jude Bellingham & Lucy Bronze all in top 50

Biles recently won her seventh Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games and is one of two female gymnasts inside the top 10, alongside Brazilian star Rebeca Andrade. Her compatriot, Vinicius Junior, is the leading footballer as he fills second spot – just ahead of NBA icon James.

Women’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark sits fourth, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi fifth. Portuguese superstar Ronaldo can only make it to ninth on the list, with Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, US women’s rugby ace Ilona Maher and swimmer Katie Ledecky completing the top 10.

Other leading lights from the world of football to make the top 50 include Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer Neymar (17th), Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham (19th), Lionesses star Beth Mead (24th), Three Lions captain Harry Kane (30th), Euro 2022 winner Lucy Bronze (39th), Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford (40th), Nigeria international Victor Osimhen (44th) and Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland (45th).

The most marketable athletes rankings have been compiled by SportsPro alongside consulting firm NorthStar Solutions Group and take into account brand strength, total addressable market and economics. SportsPro editorial director Michael Long has said: “Our list is a yearly benchmark that provides fascinating insights into how the planet’s top sports stars are developing their personal brands and business interests in any given year.

“As ever, the 2024 list is a mix of household names and breakthrough stars, all of whom have captivated audiences on the field of play while using their respective platforms to deliver value to their commercial partners and drive awareness of important social causes. For rights holders, agencies and brands – and indeed anyone with an interest in sports marketing – there is no better reference point to objectively measure the true commercial value of global athletes.”

Find out more about SportsPro's most marketable athlete rankings in the latest Footballco Business Podcast below.

While Messi and Ronaldo’s standing may be slipping in the eyes of some advertisers, their global appeal remains without question as both boast a level of celebrity that transcends their chosen profession. They also continue to rank highly on Forbes lists relating to money-making in football and across sport as a whole.