Archive · 18 Jul 2026
Football Enters New Era Post-Messi & Ronaldo
For a long time, football was all about two superstars, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
They made lots of money and had millions of fans.
Now, as they get older, new stars like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are taking over.
These new players are also very popular and make a lot of money from playing football and from ads.
Some people think these new stars can be as big as Ronaldo and Messi, but others think it will be hard because Ronaldo and Messi were special.
There's also a story about an older goalkeeper, Vozinha, who became famous after his team did well in the World Cup and got a big sponsorship deal.
It's an exciting time for football!
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated football for two decades, earning hundreds of millions and amassing massive social media followings.
New stars like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, and Vinicius Junior are emerging as the next commercial faces of football.
Mbappe and Haaland have distinct playing styles and are already successful commercially, with significant endorsement deals.
Clubs are investing heavily in young talents, not just for their football skills but for their potential as global brands.
The future of football may see a diversified portfolio of stars rather than a single rivalry, with new challenges in maintaining longevity and commercial dominance.
- Who
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior, Vozinha
- What
- Transition to a new era in football post-Messi and Ronaldo, focusing on emerging stars and their commercial potential
- When
- After the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Messi and Ronaldo step away from international football
- Where
- Global football scene, with specific mentions of clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona
- Why
- To invest in football’s next commercial era, diversifying from the previous duopoly of Messi and Ronaldo
Optimistic View
Skeptical View
Commercial Dominance
Optimistic View
New stars like Mbappe and Haaland are already successful commercially and can build strong brands.
Skeptical View
Replicating the longevity and commercial dominance of Messi and Ronaldo will be extremely challenging.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Topped Forbes’ 2025 Highest-Paid Athletes with $275 million earnings
- Lionel Messi
- Ranked fifth with $135 million earnings
- Kylian Mbappe
- Earned $70 million on-field and $25 million off-field, endorsed by Nike, Dior, Hublot, Oakley
- Erling Haaland
- Earned $80 million annually, endorsed by Nike, Breitling, Midea, Hyperice
- Jude Bellingham
- Signed for 103-133.9 million euros, endorsed by Adidas, Louis Vuitton
- Lamine Yamal
- Valued at 200 million euros at age 18
- Vinicius Junior
- Valued at 170 million euros, Hugo Boss’ global ambassador
- Vozinha
- Gained 29.3 million Instagram followers, partnered with UFL mobile game