The two greatest players of our generation have a rivalry that transcends the field and into the realm of goods.
Two of the most famous football players of all time are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both players have enormous fan bases that are ready to support their heroes by buying their uniforms.
The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo extends beyond only accolades and goals; it also involves market supremacy and sales figures for each player’s own shirt.
In football, the most popular jersey numbers are 10, 7, and 9. The best soccer players in history have worn these jersey numbers; in the last ten or so years, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have made the numbers 7 and 10 particularly well-known.
Everybody in the world—not just football fans—finally has a tendency to identify both of these numbers with Ronaldo and Messi whenever they are spoken.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese phenomenon has left a lasting impression in the fields of branding and marketing in addition to sports.
The tectonic shift in shirt sales began in 2009 when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid. Sales of Ronaldo’s club shirts reached previously unheard-of levels as his popularity soared.
The sales of each team’s uniforms have increased as a result of Ronaldo’s subsequent moves to Juventus and then Manchester United, with the legendary number 7 jersey growing in value among supporters all over the world.
Sales of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid uniforms brought in an incredible 100 million dollars back in 2009. In 2018, his Juventus uniforms sold almost 64 million units.
His Manchester United jersey sales reached an incredible 233 million in 2021, setting a record for T-shirt sales.
Since Ronaldo left Manchester United to join Real Madrid, there has been buzz about his jersey, and he has sold the most jerseys everywhere he has gone. When he moved to Juventus, he sold the most football jerseys in a single Italian day ever.
After Ronaldo returned to Manchester United for a second stint with the team, his Manchester United shirt amassed a record-breaking £187 million.
After Cristiano Ronaldo’s Old Trafford comeback was confirmed, his Manchester United shirt sales reached an absurd £187 million.
Using data from sales numbers from over a thousand international shops, they discovered that there was a 600% surge in internet searches for the “Ronaldo 7 shirt,” which led to a fifth of official kit merchandisers being sold out.
In addition to shattering the record for the fastest-selling shirt in Premier League history, Ronaldo brought in £13.1 million for Man United from shirt sales.
In the world of football, his move to the Saudi Pro League was a seismic event. The club’s fan base surged from 834,000 to an astounding 18.9 million in less than eight months.
400 jerseys were sold in a single day in Saudi Arabia following his announcement as an Al Nassr player, adding to the collection of jerseys he has sold everywhere he has gone.
Lionel Messi
Often regarded as a football prodigy, Lionel Messi played his whole professional career at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021.
Messi’s jersey sales skyrocketed during his time at Barcelona, and the iconic number 10 shirt is now worn by numerous fans all over the world.
His exceptional prowess on the field and deft dribbling technique created an unrivaled demand for his stuff.
The move to PSG also caused a spike in purchases of PSG uniforms, particularly those with Messi’s name and number on them. The Argentine is a powerful force in the kit market with his on-field impact and devoted fan base, which also fuel apparel sales.
PSG made a surprise move to sign the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, shocking the entire football community. The arrival of Messi brought PSG an incredible £610 million in revenue.
Messi’s shirts were also in strong demand, accounting for 60% of PSG sales thanks to the football legend. Over a million shirts were sold by PSG, with prices ranging from £79 to £140 each.
PSG amassed 150 million followers overall after gaining more than 15 million on all platforms. Within 30 minutes, all of Lionel Messi’s PSG jerseys were sold out.
The club had already sold 832,000 jerseys in the first 24 hours of his arrival, earning £105 million in revenue. On the first day, the club made 10.5 million in profit, keeping about 10% of the proceeds.
Lionel Messi, 35, sold jerseys for an incredible 130 million dollars last year after finally disclosing his next destination and confirming his exit from PSG to Inter Miami. To put it in context, the top-earning MLS team, LAFC, brings in 116 million dollars annually.
At the time of Messi’s official transfer completion, Inter Miami shattered numerous club and MLS records. Adidas declared in October that Messi’s jersey was not accessible. Messi’s jerseys are the most popular in the US.
Who is a better-jersey-seller?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many football kits Ronaldo and Messi sell better than one another because of a number of variables, such as team performance, transfer dynamics, and seasonality.
The rivalry between the two players is reflected in the sales rankings, as both players’ jerseys routinely rank among the best-selling in the world. When it comes to the total number of football jerseys sold by a player, Messi has surpassed Ronaldo.
Football uniform sales are influenced by a number of factors, such as player performance, club success, and high-profile moves.
Kit sales have increased as a result of Ronaldo’s movements between clubs; upon his arrival, Manchester United and Juventus saw increases in merchandising revenue.
Likewise, Messi’s move to PSG and Inter Miami created an extraordinary level of demand for both teams—especially since his name and number were shown on the back.
Everywhere Messi travels, he has an impact on sales, and his influence isn’t limited to Barcelona.
