The Top 20 Most Popular Footballers by Brand

Brandtix have released a list, compiled via a sophisticated algorithm that measures performances on the pitch, social media presence and the fan view of an athlete to determine the value of their brand.

As ​board member Reggie Bradford explains, Brandtix "marries professional soccer players’ performance statistics with their social media scores to create an index of the value of their brands, a sort of Nasdaq of footballers, marketed to interested parties such as agents, broadcasters, and owners."

Everything is taken into account, for instance, Gerard Pique's relationship with Shakira earns him major plus points.

With that in mind, here are the top 20 most popular players by the value of their brands.

20. Cesc Fabregas - Chelsea

19. David De Gea - Manchester United

18. Marcelo - Real Madrid

17. Sergio Aguero - Manchester City

16. Manuel Neuer - Bayern Munich

15. Karim Benzema - Real Madrid

14. Gerard Pique - Barcelona

13. Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid

12. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United

11. David Luiz - Paris Saint-Germain

10. Iker Casillas - FC Porto

9. Gareth Bale - Real Madrid

8. Andres Iniesta - Barcelona

7. James Rodriguez - Real Madrid

6. Mesut Özil - Arsenal

5. Luis Suarez - Barcelona

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Paris Saint-Germain

3. Lionel Messi - Barcelona

2. Neymar - Barcelona

1. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid