Footballers dominate headlines, command millions of followers, and drive huge audiences to screens. Yet many major brands still hesitate to partner with them. It seems counterintuitive: athletes are cultural icons, football is the world’s biggest sport, and marketing is driven by reach and relevance. So why do so many companies actively and deliberately avoid footballers when building their campaigns?
This article explores the key reasons brands hold back, and outlines how players can proactively position themselves as valuable, authentic partners that brands want to work with.
Why Brands Hesitate to Work With Footballers
Reputation Risk
Brand alignment hinges on trust. When companies partner with public figures, they’re not just buying influence, they’re borrowing credibility. Footballers, particularly those in the top leagues, live under constant scrutiny from the press and on social media. One misstep can quickly become a viral headline.
Take Mason Greenwood for example. Once considered a rising star for Manchester United and England, he lost endorsement deals with Nike almost overnight after serious allegations surfaced. Even before formal legal outcomes, brands moved quickly to distance themselves to protect their own image.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most marketable athletes in history, has faced similar scrutiny. Although many brands continued their relationship with him following past allegations, others (like EA Sports) carefully managed how they featured him in campaigns. The reputational stakes are high, and not all players carry the insulation of global superstardom.
For brands, even something as small as an ill-judged Instagram post or on-pitch controversy can create risk.
For brands, even something as small as an ill-judged Instagram post or on-pitch controversy can create risk. In contrast, actors or influencers often operate within a more scripted, controlled environment.
Club and League Conflicts
Footballers operate within complex commercial ecosystems. Players are often contractually bound by the sponsorships of their clubs, national teams, or kit suppliers, which can clash with external deals.
For instance, when Lionel Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain, he became part of a Nike-sponsored club, while he personally had a long-standing deal with Adidas. These overlapping affiliations make bespoke commercial work more complicated.
Another example: national teams might have official sponsors for products like drinks, tech, or airlines, which players cannot contradict, even in personal endorsements. If a player signs a deal with Pepsi but plays for a team backed by Coca-Cola, the brand messaging gets messy and legally problematic.
This tension often makes brands hesitant to invest heavily in individual players, particularly those still under club control, unless the commercial pathways are cleared.
Lack of Clear Personal Branding
Many players, especially outside the elite tier, lack a defined off-pitch identity. Without a clear personal story, aesthetic, or value system, brands struggle to build campaigns around them.
Compare Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish. Both are talented English players, but they’ve cultivated very different public personas. Rashford is known for activism, particularly around child food poverty, and has positioned himself as a socially conscious figure with broad appeal. That’s led to long-term brand collaborations with companies like Burberry, Nike, and BT.
Grealish, meanwhile, has leaned into a more lifestyle and fashion-forward image, amplified by his move to Manchester City and high-profile Puma and Gucci deals. While both are effective in different ways, they show how clarity of brand identity gives brands a clear narrative to work with.
Without that clarity, even talented players struggle to move beyond the generic “footballer” tag.
Short-Term Thinking
Some players take a scattergun approach to commercial work, chasing short-term payouts rather than long-term brand equity. Endorsing a supplement one month, a betting company the next, and a fashion label the following week can dilute trust and credibility.
A notable case was Dele Alli, whose early rise at Tottenham suggested huge commercial potential. However, inconsistent performances and a lack of strategic focus off the pitch saw his commercial appeal fade. Brands are wary of players who treat endorsements as transactions rather than partnerships.
Contrast that with someone like Megan Rapinoe, who has built a highly curated brand presence through partnerships with Nike, Victoria’s Secret, and HBO. The key was her alignment with her values and public identity. Brands prefer this consistency, not opportunism.
Limited Media Training
It’s often underestimated how critical media ability is to brand work. Advertising campaigns, press events, and public appearances all demand composure, personality, and clear communication. Many footballers aren’t trained in these areas and can appear stiff, nervous, or inarticulate when put in front of a camera.
A good example of the opposite is David Beckham. While not the most naturally expressive athlete early in his career, he invested in media training and evolved into one of the most polished spokespeople in sport. That transformation helped him land long-term partnerships with brands like H&M, Armani, and Breitling.
Younger stars like Bukayo Saka are also showing media maturity beyond their years, which makes them more attractive to brands targeting younger audiences with professionalism and warmth.
Audience Mismatch
Social media numbers can be misleading. A player might have 5 million Instagram followers, but if 90% are based in one region, and the brand is targeting a different market, the fit weakens.
For example, a promising Brazilian forward might appeal strongly to fans in South America but offer little relevance for a European skincare brand trying to reach women aged 30-45 in Germany.
Brands increasingly use tools like audience insights and engagement metrics to assess fit, not just follower counts. A smaller but better-aligned influencer or content creator might offer more focused value than a big-name footballer with generic global appeal.
Football Culture Stereotypes
Despite football’s global popularity, there are still lingering stereotypes attached to the game, especially around image. Some brands still view footballers as symbols of excess: luxury cars, designer clothes, nightclubs, and ego-driven behaviour.
This perception can make footballers seem out of sync with brand values, especially for companies focused on purpose, sustainability, family life, or health and wellness.
That said, players like Héctor Bellerín have helped challenge this stereotype. Known for his interest in fashion, veganism, and environmental causes, Bellerín has partnered with eco-conscious brands and even invested in Forest Green Rovers, a club known for its sustainability focus.
He’s proof that with the right positioning, a footballer can break the mold and attract forward-thinking brand partnerships.
He’s proof that with the right positioning, a footballer can break the mold and attract forward-thinking brand partnerships.
How Players Can Build a Brand That Attracts Partnerships
Despite these challenges, there is a growing group of footballers who are doing things differently, and attracting major commercial deals as a result. Here are some actionable ways players can reposition themselves to appeal to top brands:
Define a Clear Personal Brand
Players should treat themselves like a company. What do they stand for? What makes them different? It might be a commitment to mental health, creativity off the pitch, sustainability, fashion, community leadership, or entrepreneurship. A clear narrative helps brands connect the dots between the player and their mission.
Invest in High-Quality Content
Social media isn’t just about match day photos. The most successful footballers use platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to share behind-the-scenes footage, hobbies, interviews, training habits, or charity work. Content humanises athletes, builds trust, and gives brands insight into tone, audience, and reach.
Stay Consistent
A brand is built over time, not in one season. Players should be strategic about the partnerships they accept and how they show up online. Mixed signals (e.g. promoting luxury watches one day and budget fast food the next) confuse audiences and weaken long-term value.
Be Selective with Partnerships
Saying no is as important as saying yes. By choosing fewer, high-quality partnerships, especially with brands that align with their personal values, players become more credible. For example, when Marcus Rashford partnered with Burberry to support youth charities, it was about shared purpose.
Get Comfortable in Front of the Camera
Media training isn’t about sounding scripted. It’s about learning how to communicate clearly, handle pressure, and bring out personality in professional settings. Players who can speak well, tell stories, and hold attention are far more likely to be seen as brand-ready.
Build an Off-Pitch Legacy
Brands want to associate with people who stand for more than their profession. Players who are involved in business ventures, education, philanthropy, or content creation bring extra dimensions that brands can tap into. These stories create depth and audience loyalty.
Collaborate with Creators and Cross-Industry Talent
Some of the best football brand-building happens when players work with people outside football. Think musicians, artists, designers, or YouTubers. These collaborations open players up to new audiences and show that they’re culturally relevant beyond sport.
Final Thought
Brands aren’t avoiding footballers because they lack influence. They’re avoiding risk, inconsistency, and poor fit. But that landscape is shifting.
For the next generation of players, this is a clear opportunity: play at the highest level, and build a personal brand that goes beyond the game. That’s where long-term influence, and long-term value, truly begins.