Repucom have described the Portugal international, who has over 82 million Facebook likes and 26m Twitter followers, as “an endorsers’ dream”

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most marketable footballer in the world, according to a top global sports marketing research group.

The Real Madrid attacker pipped Lionel Messi to the Ballon d’Or in January and edges out the Argentine in Repucom’s top 10 trend-setters in the game today.

“Ronaldo is an endorser’s dream,” the company’s CEO, Paul Smith, stated.

“His value is as important to the teams he plays for as they are for the companies that endorse him.

“Global awareness of Ronaldo is what drives his commercial power and with over 82 million Facebook likes and 26m Twitter followers, he is also one of the most liked in the business.”

Messi is a close second to Ronaldo, while the Argentine’s Barcelona team-mate, Gerard Pique, who has a child with pop star Shakira, occupies third place.

Even more surprisingly, Chelsea’s much-maligned forward Fernando Torres is fourth in the rankings, just ahead of England international Wayne Rooney.

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta is sixth, just ahead of another Blaugrana player (the fourth in total), Brazilian superstar Neymar.

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas stands eighth, ahead of the only two players in the top 10 not plying their trade in either Spain or England: Paris Saint-Germain ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic and New York Red Bulls veteran Thierry Henry.

Repucom emply a marketing measurement tool that analyses the perceptions of over 6,500 people in 13 international territories, thus representing the views of more than 1.5 billion people worldwide.