Cristiano Ronaldo Leads List of Most In-Demand Players in the FIFA World Cup | Charts

Longtime rival Lionel Messi places second for talent demand in the U.S.

Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi FIFA World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo, left, and Lionel Messi of Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League Group G stage match between FC Barcelona and Juventus at Camp Nou on Dec. 8, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (David Ramos/Getty Images)

The FIFA World Cup is the most-watched sports event in the world. The 2022 edition started on Nov. 20. and has been drawing more attention from U.S. audiences than previous editions. A large part of the demand for the tournament is driven by the appeal of the world’s most famous soccer players, who are going to be in it. But who leads the pack when it comes to talent demand?

Nowadays, some of the most famous soccer players have broken the sports barrier and are internationally acclaimed stars, being household names even in countries where the sport isn’t highly popular.

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