Who in 2025 is In a League of Their Own?

 

SportsPro recently revealed the Most Marketable Athletes of 2025 – Let’s take a look at who made the list;

 

 

Marketability has evolved from the basis of achievements and accolades to advocacy, philanthropy, and cultural fluency.

Number 5 – Cristiano Ronaldo

Perfection over Personality: The Blueprint for Global Fame

Starting off strong in number 5 with one of the most recognisable names in the world – Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a classic model of marketability. With a successful football career, a sought-after lifestyle, and a meticulously built global empire in ‘CR7’, Ronaldo can be viewed as perfection materialised as a man. He is the most followed individual on social media with a whopping 855.3 million followers ^[1]. In 2025, Ronaldo has remained relevant through his stand-out performances as a 40-year-old athlete, as well as his profitable signing to Al-Nassr, valued at £492 million ^[2]. His commercial magnetism could be seen as unparalleled, and he may dominate when it comes to online presence.

However,his model is built on image, no intimacy involved and not much rapport between himself and his fans. Cristiano Ronaldo does have one of the most remarkable success stories ever told; his achievements seem almost unattainable! What hurts Ronaldo’s rating is his accessibility – some of the world’s newer athletes just sell an entirely different kind of connection that he hasn’t quite got.

 

Number 4 – Stephen Curry A Signature Athlete

A man of loyalty and longevity, number 4 is basketball player Stephen Curry. Curry can be idealised as a trusted, family-friendly, entrepreneurial icon. His long-lasting partnership with Under Armour (from 2012 to the present day) ^[3] and, as of last year, the launch of his 12^th Under Armour basketball shoe ^[4], solidifies him as one of their signature athletes. This is a visually obvious public display of brand loyalty. Other than cementing decade-long partnerships, Curry also uses his influence for the good of public entertainment. Founded in 2018, ‘Unanimous Media’ was created to share stories that pull on people’s heartstrings and tell narratives that shed a positive light on the world ^[5]. This isn’t his only selfless outlet; he often gives back to those less fortunate than him, aiding his wife’s children’s charity, ‘Eat.Learn. Play.’ Specifically in 2025, Curry has reached number 4 due to a combination of on-court excellence with a dominant Olympic presence, additional strategic business ventures and an ever-continuous positive persona. Stephen Curry embodies kindness in a world often full of selfishness. His philanthropic attitude matched with this positive persona bridges the gap between traditional fame and modern authenticity. However, this strongly perfected image is hard to compare to the raw, unfiltered relatability honed by athlete number 3.

 

 Number 3 – Ilona Maher

Feminist Icon and Advocate for Women in Sport

In number 3, we have rugby’s rising star, Ilona Maher! Maher’s online career skyrocketed from her first viral moment during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021). She gained a mass online following on TikTok, showcasing her behind-the-scenes life in the Olympic Village as part of Team USA. From there, she used her platform to advocate for women in sport. Her influence amongst female athletes has been extraordinary. She voices the opinion that sport can be feminine and that women do not have to shy away from their own femininity in order to be athletes. Maher is even known for playing her Rugby matches while wearing her signature bright coloured lipsticks. Her presence has been a catalyst for women’s sport, and in January 2025, her debut match for the ‘Bristol Bears’ in the Premiership Women’s Rugby League (PWR) racked up a record number of 9,240 spectators at Ashton Gate Stadium. That’s a total of 5139 more spectators than the previous standing record of 4101 ^[6]. Recently, Ilona Maher has also taken part in dancing competition, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and launched her own podcast back in March called ‘House of Maher’, where she and her two sisters discuss everything from life as an athlete to pop culture and social media ^[7]. Additionally, following Maher’s September 2024 cover shoot for ‘Sports Illustrated Swimwear’ titled ‘Beast. Beauty. Brains’ ^[8], she had her runway debut, stating that she walked in a swimsuit whilst on her period – displaying her advocacy for strong, powerful,

feminine women in real time ^[9]. Maher’s marketability was built from the ground up; her comedic approach to the online community morphed into a strong career of empowering women across the globe, and that is why she has made the top 3.

 

 

Number 2 – Simone Biles

The Power of Vulnerability

Similar to the authenticity heavily present in Maher’s ethos, world-renowned gymnast Simone Biles’ marketability is elevated with legacy, peaking at number 2. In the same 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles withdrew from multiple event finals due to mental health issues ^[10]. Her break was heavily commended and coined an act of ‘absolute courage’ by former American president Joe Biden in 2022, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom ^[11].

Simone Biles humanised athletes! Biles made her return to gymnastics in August 2023, where she came first in the all-around competition at the US Classic in Chicago ^[12]. Her comeback after taking a two-year-long mental health break displays utmost resilience and cements her place in history as a true sporting inspiration. Vulnerability in this current era matches, if not surpasses, visibility, and Biles’ willingness to publicly display imperfection has transformed her into one of sport’s most trusted global figures.

 

 Number 1 – Lewis Hamilton The Greatest of All Time

In number 1 as the topmost marketable athlete in 2025, we have Ferrari Formula 1 Driver, Lewis Hamilton. One of the most groundbreaking sporting news stories of 2025 was Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for an annual salary of $60 million per year ^[13]. Not only is Hamilton’s commercial appeal through the roof, but he also embodies the greatest attributes of all the above athletes. Firstly, he has a similar elite work ethic to Ronaldo. Statistically, he is the greatest F1 driver of all time with the most wins, most pole positions and tied for most driver championships ^[14]. Secondly, he matches Curry’s brand loyalty in having the longest and most successful team partnership in F1, driving for Mercedes for 12 years from 2013-2025 ^[15]. Additionally, he mirrors Maher’s passion for advocacy as he speaks out on diversity, overall inclusion, and racial inequality at race weekends as well as through the creation of his charitable foundation ‘Mission 44’ and the implementation of ‘The Hamilton Commission’ ^[16]. Finally, like Biles, he speaks out about his mental health struggles as an athlete over the years. In 2021, Hamilton faced a brutal end to his F1 season as he fell short of an eighth world championship in a controversial last-lap battle at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This was later admitted by F1’s governing body (FIA) as a ‘human error’ ^[17] – “Honestly, when I came back in 2022, I thought that I was over it, and I know I wasn’t, and it’s taken a long time for sure to heal that kind of feeling. That’s only natural for anyone that has that experience ^[18].” Hamilton’s marketability transcends the competition; he’s a disciplined, hard-working advocate who has strong morals, beliefs and opinions, values his roots and constantly gives back to those who made him great.

Together, the top 5 Most Marketable Athletes of 2025 display the evolution of marketability: from Ronaldo’s legacy empire to Hamilton’s cultural influence, athletes are no longer just symbols of success – they’re architects of identity.

 

References

• Backlinko, 2024. “Most Followed Social Media Accounts”.

Backlinko. https://backlinko.com/most-followed-social-media#most-followed-social-media-accounts

• The Sun, 2024. “Cristiano Ronaldo ‘to earn £173m a year at Al-Nassr’ after signing mega deal”. The Sun. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/35583551/cristiano-ronaldo-al-nassr-mega-contract/
• Business Insider, 2016. “How Under Armour stole Stephen Curry from Nike — with Kent Bazemore’s help”. Business Insider, 23 Mar 2016. https://www.businessinsider.com/under-armour-stole-stephen-curry-from-nike-with-kent-bazemores-help-2016-3
• Under Armour, 2024. “The Future Just Got Better — The Curry 12 Has Arrived”. Under Armour, 22 Aug 2024. https://about.underarmour.com/en/stories/2024/08/the-future-just-got-better—the-curry-12-has-arrived-.html
• Unanimous Media, 2025. Unanimous Media. https://unanimousmedia.com
• Ashton Gate Stadium, 2024. “Ilona Maher Debut Attracts Record Bears Women’s Crowd”. Ashton Gate Stadium, 4 Nov

2024. https://www.ashtongatestadium.co.uk/news/ilona-maher-debut-attracts-record-bears-women-crowd/

• People, 2024. “Ilona Maher Announces New Podcast with Sisters Olivia and Adrianna (Exclusive)”. People, 15 Oct 2024. https://people.com/ilona-maher-announces-new-podcast-sisters-olivia-adrianna-exclusive-11699738
• Sports Illustrated, 2024. “Ilona Maher”. Sports Illustrated. https://projects.si.com/ilona-maher/p/1
• People, 2024. “Ilona Maher Reveals She Walked in the Miami Sports Illustrated Swim Show While on Her Period”. People, 3 Jun 2024. https://people.com/ilona-maher-reveals-she-walked-in-the-miami-sports-illustrated-swim-show-while-on-her-period-11747380
• Sky News, 2021. “Simone Biles: Gymnast Says Mental Health Issues Behind Withdrawal from Tokyo Olympics Team Final”. Sky News, 29 Jul

2021. https://news.sky.com/story/simone-biles-gymnast-says-mental-health-issues-behind-withdrawal-from-team-final-in-tokyo-olympics-as-she-admits-i-just-didnt-want-to-go-on-12365669

• Sky Sports, 2022. “Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden”. Sky Sports, 8 Jul 2022. https://www.skysports.com/more-

sports/news/12040/12647854/simone-biles-and-megan-rapinoe-receive-presidential-medal-of-freedom-from-joe-biden

• BBC Sport, 2023. “Simone Biles Wins on Return at US Classic”. BBC Sport, 6 Aug 2023. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/66420361
• RacingNews365, 2024. “Lewis Hamilton Net Worth”. RacingNews365. https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hamilton-net-wort
• ESPN, 2018. “Is Lewis Hamilton the F1 GOAT?”. ESPN, 1 Nov

2018. https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/25117730/is-lewis-hamilton-f1-goat

 ESPN, 2024. “Most F1 Seasons with One Team: Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen & More”. ESPN, 20 Jun 2024. https://www.espn.co.uk/racing/story/_/id/40568028/most-f1-seasons-one-team-lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-more

 Mission 44, 2025. Mission 44. https://mission44.org

 Sky Sports, 2022. “FIA Releases Abu Dhabi Report: Human Error Led to Title Controversy”. Sky Sports, 19 Mar

2022. https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12570003/fia-releases-abu-dhabi-report-human-error-led-to-max-verstappen-lewis-hamilton-title-controversy

Crash.net, 2022. “Lewis Hamilton Opens up on Mental Health Struggles after 2021 F1 Title Loss”. Crash.net, 5 Apr 2022. https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052080/1/lewis-hamilton-opens-mental-health-struggles-after-2021-f1-title-loss