Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Usain Bolt, others make 50 most marketable athletes in the world 2014 list

The list was compiled by SportsPro magazine, criteria includes their marketing potential over the next three years based on value for money, age, home market, charisma, willingness to be marketed and crossover appeal.Topping the list is 29 year Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton.
50 most marketable athletes in the world 2014
(1) Lewis Hamilton – motorsport, Great Britain
(2) Virat Kohli – cricket, India
(3) Robert Griffin III – NFL, USA
(4) Cristiano Ronaldo – football, Portugal
(5) Grigor Dimitrov – tennis, Bulgaria
(6) Usain Bolt – athletics, Jamaica
(7) Neymar – football, Brazil
(8) Missy Franklin – swimming, USA
(9) Blake Griffin – NBA, USA
(10) Sloane Stephens – tennis, USA
(11) Lionel Messi- football, Argentina
(12) Adam Scott- golf, Australia
(13) Eugenie Bouchard- tennis, Canada,
(14) Alex Morgan- soccer, US
(15) Novak Djokovic- tennis, Serbia
(16) Marc Marquez- motorsport, Spain,
(17) Mike Trout- baseball, US
(18) Ronda Rousey- MMA, US
(19) Jordan Spieth- golf, US
(20) Alan Oliveira- para-athletics
Brazil,
(21) Andy Murray- tennis, Scotland
(22) Saul Alvarez, 23, Mexico, boxing
(23) Mikaela Shiffrin- skiing, US
(24) Rory McIlroy- golf, Northern Ireland
(25) Austin Dillon- motorsport, US
(26) Stephen Curry- basketball, US
(27) Sebastian Vettel- motorsport, Germany
(28) Katarina Johnson-Thompson- athletics, England
(29) Anthony Davis- basketball, US, basketball
(30) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain- soccer, England
(31) Victoria Azarenka- tennis, Belarus
(32) Steven Stamkos- Canada, ice hockey, Canada,
(33) Johnny Manziel- football, America
(34) Mami Sato- para-athletics, Japan
(35) Kevin Pietersen- cricket, England
(36) Brittney Griner- basketball, US
(37) James Harden- basketball, US
(38) Fabiana Claudino- volleyball, Brazil
(39) Taylor Phinney- cycling, US
(40) Daniil Kyvat- motorsport, Russia
(41) Sonny Bill Williams- rugby, New Zealand
(42) Sir Ben Ainslie- sailing, England
(43) Gabriel Medina- surfing, Brazil
(44) Julian Green- soccer, US
(45) Masahiro Tanaka- baseball, Japan
(46) Carmelo Anthony- basketball, US
(47) Youxue Mo- athletics, China, athletics
(48) Caroline Wozniacki- tennis, Denmark
(49) Martin Fourcade- biathlon, France
(50) Simona de Silvestro- motorsport, Switzerland

Barcelona's Lionel Messi agrees new contract, to become world's best paid footballer.

Barcelona star, Lionel Messi has signed a new contract that would make him the best paid footballer in the world. He will only overtake his Real Madrid nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo by a very small fraction. While Ronaldo’s salary is put at €20 million per year, Messi will earn

€20.5 million. Despite the new package, Ronaldo will earn more from image rights.

Below is a statement on the club’s site

“FC Barcelona has reached an agreement to adjust the terms in the contract binding Leo Messi to the club as a professional first team player. The revised and updated contract will be signed over the next few days.”

This will also end the rumours making rounds for the past few weeks linking him with one club or the other. In actual fact, over 15 clubs reportedly approached him this season. The Argentine is 8 goals away from becoming the highest goalscorer in the history of the Spanish first division. The new contract will expire in 2019.

Yaya Toure makes a case for undervalued African players

Three-time African player of the year, Yaya Toure during an interview on Football Focus segment on BBC World News made a case for undervalued footballers in Africa. Toure who has netted a total of 22 goals this season for his club, Manchester City says African footballers deserve to be celebrated like their European counterparts. The 30 year-old UN ambassador believes the media has a major role to play in the recognition/celebration of African players.

“To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans, I don’t want to be hard and I don’t want to be negative, but I want to be honest. If we play well and we don’t have the recognition from the media, we are not going to be where we want to be. If you go to any part of Africa now, people will say, ‘yes, we know Messi, but when you come to Europe and say ‘Yaya Toure’ people will say, ‘who is that?’ Some will say they know my name but not know my face. But they will know Messi’s face.” He stated

Citing the likes of Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o who are un-appreciated despite their significant contributions at their various clubs. The Ivorian believes they also deserve to win the Ballon d’Or award, adding that there has only been one African winner of the award, which is former AC Milan and Liberia striker George Weah who won in 1995.

“Those players are more than legends for me and Africa. I am very proud to be African, I want to defend African people and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans.”

2014 World Cup: Has Argentina coach written Nigeria off already?

Well, You can’t have the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzolo Higuan, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Rodrigo Palacio, Angel Di Maria and Maxi Rodriguez in a team and won’t brag.
Argentina coach, Alejandro Sabella believes that Nigeria will be intimidated by the quality of players Argentina will parade at the forthcoming world Cup. Recall that Nigeria as well as Argentina, Iran and Bosnia-Hezergovina are included in the are the other two teams in the group F of the tournament.
He wrote on Argentina’s official website, “Our rivals will fear us because Argentina has an amazing front line.”
Meanwhile the 59 year-old coach has made it clear that his mission at the World Cup is to make the Barcelona star shine.

Manchester United player becomes world's fastest footballer. (See top ten list)

FIFA has released it’s list of the fastest footballers in the world. A Manchester United player came tops! Not Wayne Rooney, Van Persie, Evra or other big names in the Red Devils’ squad. Its Antonio Valencia. I’m sure no one was really looking towards his direction.

FIFA determined this based on the highest recorded speed of a player in a game whilst in possession of the ball. With a speed of 35.1 km/h, Valencia beat the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery and co.

TOP TEN WORLD’S FASTEST FOOTBALLERS

(1.) Antonio Valencia – 35.1 km/h

(2.) Gareth Bale – 34.7 km/h

(3.) Aaron Lennon – 33.8 km/h

(4.) Cristiano Ronaldo – 33.6 km/h

(5.) Theo Walcott – 32.7 km/h

(6.) Lionel Messi – 32.5 km/h

(7.) Wayne Rooney – 31.2 km/h

(8.) Franck Ribery – 30.7 km/h

(9.) Arjen Robben – 30.4 km/h

(10.) Alexis Sanchez – 30.1 km/h

Conversation between Messi and Pepe in the last el-clasico revealed.

To those who watched the last elclasico, can you remember the section where Lionel Messi and Pepe were talking with their hands over their mouths? Been eager to know what went down that moment. Well, we finally have the scoop.
The Real Madrid star told Messi:
You’re always shit against me.”
The Argentine replied, “What are you talking about? i always score against you it’s thanks to me you appear in every photo after the game”.
The dimunitive striker’s reply was epic sha!lol

Adidas celebrates Lionel Messi's latest milestone

26 year-old Barca star, Lionel Messi’s latest milestone has been acknowledged by giant sportswear company, Adidas. For breaking Pablo Alcantara’s all-time goal scorer record set in 1927 for Barcelona, the company has made a classic, limited edition and sequin-coated football boot for the Argentine player.
“Messi 371″ boots will feature a premium packaging for each of the 371 pairs, including a 20 page commemorative booklet detailing the magnitude of this milestone, selecting five of Messi’s most famous and important goals, with a boot inspired graphical design.” The company stated.
The father of one netted in his 370th career goal in his 452nd match in the 63rd minute of the Catalan’s game with Osasuna. Only 371 pairs of the boot, representing each of his record-breaking goals for Barca have been produced.

Love or Loathe them: Messi and Ronaldo break new records

There’s really no stopping for these two football enigmas; Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Ballon d’Or award-winners did not only melt the hearts of millions of fans this weekend with their sterling performances, they also broke new records.
The only goal in Madrid’s game against Malaga on Saturday was delivered by the current Ballon d’Or winner; keeping Real Madrid on top of the Liga table. That’s not all, the Portuguese has also become the first player to score at least 25 league goals in five consecutive seasons in La Liga. #pureclass
His Barcelona nemesis, also stamped his signature in the history books. The Argentine officially became the greatest goal scorer in FC Barcelona history after netting in his 370th career goal in his 452nd match in the 63rd minute of his club’s game with Osasuna. He’s also surpassed Paulino Alcántara record which he made as far back as 1927.#phenomenal
Once again, Love or Loathe them, we can’t stop talking about these ’round leather’ greats.

Lionel Messi breaks UEFA Champions League goal-scoring record

Phenomenal Barcelona Forward, Lionel Messi has broken UEFA Champions League goal-scoring record for the most goals for a single club. The 26 year-old Argentine took advantage of an error by Joleon Lescott and netted in his 67th career Champions League goal in the 67th minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City. The 4-time Ballon d’Or winner has now surpassed former Real Madrid star, Raul’s 66-goal tally for the spanish club.

World's richest players: Cristiano Ronaldo stays ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Chelsea's Samuel Eto'o

Real Madrid Forward, Cristiano Ronaldo stays ahead of his Barcelona nemesis, Lionel Messi and Chelsea’s Samuel Eto’o on goal.com‘s list of top ten richest players in the world. The Portuguese who has been extremely magical for his club side this season has an estimated fortune of £122m. Goal.com took into account their salaries, length of contract, bonuses, business interests, endorsement and sponsorship deals, property and all other avenues.
Top Ten
1) Cristiano Ronaldo- £122m (Portugal/Real Madrid)
(2) Lionel Messi – £120.5 (Argentina/Barcelona
(3) Samuel Eto’o – £70 (Cameroon/Chelsea)
(4) Wayne Rooney- £69 (England/ Manchester United)
(5). Kaka: £67.5m (Brazil/ AC Milan)
(6) Neymar: £66m ( Brazil/ Barcelona)
(7) Ronaldinho: £64m (Brazil/ Atletico Mineiro)
(8) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: £57m (Sweden/PSG)
(9) Gianluigi Buffon: £52m (Italy/Juventus)
(10) Thierry Henry: £47m (France/New York Red Bulls)
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