Who holds the number one spot?
As we approach the end of 2025, another thrilling year in football unfolds. Despite the absence of a major international tournament, with the World Cup set for next summer, significant stories have emerged. PSG clinched their first-ever Champions League trophy by defeating Inter Milan in the final, while Ousmane Dembélé was honored with the Ballon d’Or.
Liverpool matched Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles and made headlines by breaking the transfer record for the highest spending in a single window. Bayern Munich regained their dominance in the Bundesliga, Barcelona claimed local bragging rights over Real Madrid, and Napoli secured the Scudetto. Millions from around the globe flocked to Transfermarkt throughout the year, and we’ve unveiled the players with the most viewed profiles.
After analyzing data from every Transfermarkt domain, Cristiano Ronaldo emerges as the most viewed player. Although the 40-year-old’s year with Al-Nassr lacked major trophies, his status as a global icon remains unmatched. Lionel Messi had a more successful individual season, leading Inter Miami to the MLS Cup, placing him second. The graphic below highlights that Lamine Yamal rounds out the top three; at just 18, he has already become one of the most recognizable players globally.
Victor Osimhen is the only player outside Europe or South America in the top ten, ranking fourth due to his permanent transfer to Galatasaray. Alongside Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are deemed the most valuable players globally, each at €200m, and both are featured in the top ten. Notably, Germany and Brazil each have three players represented in the top 20.
