Real Madrid ace
Cristiano Ronaldo is being
backed to become a bigger football icon than David Beckham.
"There is certainly a vacancy for a football central brand right
now," said Simon Chadwick, professor of sport business strategy and
marketing at Coventry University in England.
"Beckham, because of his age and the stage of his career, has
lost it. And Ronaldo is ideally
placed to assume the mantle of 'brand Beckham', especially among
young kids and teenagers," he told AFP.
With his move to Real, where he will play alongside other
big-name new recruits like Kaka
and Karim Benzema, Ronaldo is
following in the footsteps of Beckham who also left
Manchester United for a
successful spell at Real.
"He is in a fantastic position. Both clubs are very good at
marketing their brand and players and have a huge fan base," said
Jamie Wynne-Morgan, managing director of M&C Saatchi Sport and
Entertainment.
"He needs to be careful not to be overexposed and make the right
strategic decisions, not do lots of little deals," added
Wynne-Morgan, whose agency advised on a deal that saw
Ronaldo sign up as a "global
ambassador" for engine oil company Castrol earlier this year.
Ronaldo however lacks the
seemingly stable family life which Beckham, who now plays for Los
Angeles Galaxy, enjoys and is often accused of not being a team
player, two factors which could decrease his "likeability" factor
and appeal to advertisers.
"Beckham was so successful at Real in part because he was seen
as playing for the team. I don't think Ronaldo has that. Off field Ronaldo needs to get married, settle down with a
nice girl, and start a family," said Chadwick.
