It is widely assumed that celebrities are imbued with political capital and the power to move opinion. To understand the sources of that capital in the specific domain of sports celebrity, we investigate the popularity of global soccer superstars. Specifically, we examine players’ success in the Ballon d’Or—the most high-profile contest to select the world’s best player. Based on historical election results as well as an original survey of soccer fans, we find that certain kinds of players are significantly more likely to win the Ballon d’Or. Moreover, we detect an increasing concentration of votes on these kinds of players over time, suggesting a clear and growing hierarchy in the competition for soccer celebrity. Further analyses of support for the world’s two best players in 2016 (Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo) show that, if properly adapted, political science concepts like partisanship have conceptual and empirical leverage in ostensibly non-political contests.
- Guruceta Trophy – Given to the best referee in La Liga and the Segunda División. - Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano[2] – Given to the best player in La Liga. - Golden Goal[2] – Given for the goal of the season. No specific schedule
- Marca Leyenda – Given to the best professional athletes in history.[3][4]
- Best Football Player of All Time – Given to Argentine Lionel Messi in 2014, through an online poll voted by Marca.com readers.[5]
- Marca America Award – a special award given to Lionel Messi as recognition for being the player with the most titles in football history.[6][7]
References
- ↑ AIMC. Archived 27 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Marca 2019 football awards: Messi collects sixth Pichichi". Marca. 16 December 2019. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019. - ↑ "Marca Leyenda". Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2025. - ↑ Castro, Juan (3 April 2018). "Hugo Sánchez, nuevo MARCA Leyenda". Marca Claro México (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2025. - ↑ "Real Madrid: Messi and Cristiano on the all-time podium of football".
Lionel Messi is tied with 71 goals as the Champions League’s top scorer. This Tuesday can beat his mark in the field of Real Madrid Apoel. The honour, however, can be ephemeral because Cristiano Ronaldo scores 70 goals. This will be a race that can last a long time.
Lionel Messi won the award for a record-extending eighth time after leading Argentina in their victorious 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign. Thus Messi became
The 2023 Ballon d'Or (lit. '2023 Golden Ball'), was the 67th annual ceremony of the Ballon d'Or, presented by France Football magazine, recognising the best footballers in the world in the 2022–2023 season. For the second time in the history of the award, it was given based on the results of the season instead of the calendar year, with the season starting on 1 August 2022 and ending 31 July 2023.
The…
Everything we examined (4) — 3 independent sources
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