Soccer Legend Once Compared ‘Advertising Phenomenon’ Neymar to Kim Kardashian in a Controversial Take – “Not at the Level of [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Messi”

When you ask an average soccer fan who their favorite players are, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are on top of the list. These two played the game consistently for nearly two decades now. After the two GOATs, the Brazilian superstar Neymar arrives as the third choice for many. For years he shadowed Ronaldo and Messi but established a presence for himself in the community. But, that established presence fetched him severe criticisms. 

Former English soccer player, Joey Barton, recalled in 2018 how he was the ‘Kim Kardashian of soccer.’ With no disrespect to Kardashian, she is one of the top American social media influencers globally. Relatively, a marketable personality. Therefore, Barton believed the brand image Neymar created elevated him to the top. 

Former English soccer player once compared Neymar to Kim Kardashian

Barton once believed Neymar to be way below the levels of his peers, Messi and Ronaldo. Therefore, according to FourFourTwo in 2018, he commented, “I think he is the Kim Kardashian of football. Neymar is not the best player in the world, we saw that again in Russia. He is not at the level of Ronaldo and Messi, and there are many other players in front of him.”

To reach the levels of the two mentioned players is a tall order. When people dive deeper into the stats of these two players combined, it gives us a scary thought of dominance. Doubling them, they have scored 1626 goals, created 589 assists, 12 Ballon d’Or awards each, and a host of other records. As we bring Neymar into the picture, he scored 150 goals and created 83 assists in his ten seasons in Europe. The difference level is staggering. 

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But in marketability, he certainly holds some advantage. Barton continued, “Neymar, more than a football phenomenon, is an advertising phenomenon, like the Kardashians.”

Marketability of the Brazilian soccer superstar

Even though Ronaldo earned $44.8 million in 2018. These numbers are way ahead of most people. But, Neymar remains the most accessible marketing personality. Multiple companies like DAZN, Epic Games, Konami, Meta, Netflix, Qatar Airways, Qatar National Bank, and Red Bull are some of his sponsors.

He received around $25 million from these endorsements. Likewise, Kim Kardashian is one of the most marketable faces on earth. Some of her appearances fetch her millions. 

During the opening of Topshop in Los Angeles, she earned $50,000. Moreover, she earned $300,000 to celebrate New Year’s Eve at 1Oak shows the pulling power she possesses. Therefore, Neymar remains one of the most branded players on earth. To sum up, he is a complete player in terms of skills on the pitch and creating a unique brand image for himself. 

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