Shubman Gill Outranks Ronaldo on 2026 Marketing List
The Indian cricketer secures the 13th spot on the annual SportsPro ranking, surpassing several global soccer icons.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Marketing
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SportsPro released its 17th annual list of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes, featuring Shubman Gill at number 13. This placement puts the cricketer ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who secured the 14th and 27th spots, respectively.
Why it matters
The ranking highlights the shifting commercial landscape in international sports, where cricket stars are gaining significant global influence. SportsPro determined these rankings by analyzing 1,202 athletes through 27 distinct marketability factors and over 3,000 brand partnership records.
SportsPro assessed 1,202 athletes across 70 sports using 27 distinct marketability factors. The final list includes 16 athletes from the United States and 13 from the sport of basketball.
The players
Shubman Gill
An Indian cricketer who has emerged as a significant commercial force in the global sports market.
Cristiano Ronaldo
A world-renowned professional soccer player who consistently remains one of the most recognizable athletes globally.
Lionel Messi
An iconic professional soccer player widely regarded as one of the most successful athletes in history.
SportsPro
A sports business media and intelligence platform that produces annual industry reports and rankings.
The details
The evaluation process involved an extensive review of hundreds of data points for each athlete to determine their commercial potential. Other Indian cricketers featured on the 2026 list include Rishabh Pant at 31st, Smriti Mandhana at 37th, Jasprit Bumrah at 39th, MS Dhoni at 83rd, Virat Kohli at 85th, and Rohit Sharma at 90th.
Timeline
2014 was when Kohli ranked second on the list.
2016 was when Kohli climbed to third place.
2024 saw 22 women athletes feature in the list.
2025 featured two cricket athletes in the top 50.
2026 marks the release of the 17th edition of the list.
Market Landscape
The rise of cricket stars on the SportsPro 50 Most Marketable Athletes list reflects a broader shift in how global brands allocate marketing budgets across different sports regions. This trend challenges the historical dominance of traditional soccer icons in the international commercial space.
Shoppers and fans may observe increased brand visibility for cricketers as companies capitalize on these updated marketability rankings. This shift influences where fans see product endorsements and which athletes lead upcoming global advertising campaigns.
The takeaway
The rise of cricketers on major marketing lists signals that global advertisers are increasingly looking toward diverse regional markets for influence. Fans should expect to see these athletes featured more prominently in international brand partnerships in the coming year.
Further reading
For more insights into current trends, visit the Marketing section.
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