THE FOOTPOL PODCAST
Is Cristiano Ronaldo still a footballer, or a global enterprise that happens to play football? As the dust settles on the Ballon d’Or, sociologist Professor Ellis Cashmore joins Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro to discuss his new article with Kevin Dixon, “The footballer as enterprise – players as brands, activists, and media platforms”. Why does Saudi Arabia think Ronaldo is worth a reported $1m a week for his visibility, not his goals? Is Kylian Mbappé next in line? And what can footballers learn from Beyoncé?
We explore how celebrity culture and social media have killed the old divide between sport and politics, so fans now expect players to speak out. Ellis also looks at how racism in football has changed since the 1980s, and why the first openly gay male star in a top European league would be the most marketable player on the planet.
📖 Read Ellis's and Kevin Dixon's article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.footst.2026.100056
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