Messi and LeBron beaten to top spot in athlete marketability rankings

US gymnast Simone Biles has beaten LeBron James and Lionel Messi to be named the most marketable athlete in the world by sports industry experts.

Real Madrid and Brazil footballer Vinicius Jr is second, followed by NBA legend James, women’s basketball sensation Caitlin Clark and Messi in the list published by SportsPro magazine.

Biles, who won her seventh Olympic gold medal in Paris this year, is one of two female gymnasts in the top 10, with Brazilian Rebeca Andrade placed sixth.

Real Madrid and France striker Kylian Mbappe, US women’s rugby star Ilona Maher, evergreen Portugal football great Cristiano Ronaldo and swimmer Katie Ledecky complete the top 10.

Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton is the top-placed Briton at 11, with England and Real Madrid footballer Jude Bellingham 19th and Lioness Beth Mead ranked 24th.

Biles, 27, has a suite of sponsors that includes Powerade, sportswear brand Athleta and Wheaties and earns around £5.4m a year. 

Vinicius, 24, is sponsored by Nike, Pepsi, Sony, Unilever and Gatorade and is estimated to earn more than £40m a year, including his salary at Real Madrid.

James, 39, last year became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status thanks in part to contracts with Nike and Pepsi and investments, including in the owners of Liverpool FC.

The most marketable athlete rankings were compiled with consulting firm NorthStar Solutions Group and take into account three main pillars: brand strength, total addressable market, and economics.

“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,” said SportsPro editorial director Michael Long

“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.”