Football is arguably the most popular and watched sport in the world. All over the planet, people tune in week in, week out to watch their favourite players and clubs, supporting them whether they win or lose. With so many people watching, it’s only natural that some companies would try to use that visibility to their advantage.
As money in football grew, players started landing sponsorships directly with brands. This could be for anything — football boot deals, endorsements, or appearances for platforms like Canadian Bonus Finder. These days, nearly every top player has some form of sponsorship behind them.
In this article, we take a look at some of the top sponsorship deals between footballers and major brands.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Nike
You’d be hard pushed to find someone who hasn’t heard of Cristiano Ronaldo. One of the top two players on the planet alongside Lionel Messi over the past fifteen years or so, he’s one of the most well-known people on Earth.
Even since his early days at Manchester United, Ronaldo has always worn Nike boots. He’s had contracts with them for years, but the biggest came in 2016. At the time, Ronaldo was potentially at his peak — scoring goals for fun and pulling Real Madrid through games on his own at times.
Because of his stature and value, Ronaldo signed a deal with Nike worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It was a lifetime contract, meaning that for the rest of his playing career, he’d only be allowed to wear Nike trainers and boots — whether at the gym, in training, or during matches. As a lifelong Nike athlete, this wasn’t a big change, and he even received special edition CR7 boots to promote him as a Nike star.
With Ronaldo now in his 40s and possibly nearing the end of his career, the deal might soon wind down. One thing’s certain though: as long as he’s still playing, he’ll be doing it in Nike boots.
Lionel Messi – Adidas
Just like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi also signed a lifetime deal — this time with Adidas. Since 2006, Messi has been tied to the brand and hasn’t changed boot providers since. Adidas saw his potential early on and secured the deal while he was still a teenager — a decision that’s paid off massively.
Arguably the best player to ever play the game, Messi’s popularity has stayed at the top for nearly two decades. For Adidas, having a player of his quality showing up every week and making defenders look ordinary is marketing gold. It’s easy to see why fans want to wear the same boots.
Messi’s deal was such a success that Adidas created a whole line called Adidas Messi, featuring signature boots and clothing. Even after he retires, he’ll likely continue to earn from the brand through his product line.
Neymar – Poker Websites
Neymar, often called the prince of football, could’ve been the best in the world if not for the two names above. The most expensive footballer of all time also has a long-standing history with various casino and poker websites and is known to join professional tournaments — he genuinely enjoys the game.
As early as 2017, Neymar had brand deals with poker companies, sometimes appearing as the face of a tournament or even the entire website. The appeal for fans was clear — some might end up at the same online table as Neymar himself. He’s known to join random games, which adds to his reputation as someone who doesn’t just promote poker but actually plays it.
Now back at his boyhood club Santos, Neymar remains involved with poker sites and continues to appear in campaigns related to the game he enjoys off the pitch.
With football’s popularity and commercial power growing every year, brand deals like these are becoming more and more common. While most players have some kind of endorsement, it’s the biggest names who attract the mega deals. From Ronaldo’s Nike boots to Neymar’s poker partnerships, when the money’s right, most players are more than willing to listen.
