Off The Field - (Part 2) Messi vs. Neymar - 'All Hail The King'

The best sportsmen and women will always thrill us, their supreme performances in their particular frame are watched and admired by millions. One question will always come into our heads as fans, what would it be like to live one day as our sporting heroes.

 Some superstars make it easy for you to see, others not so much. To tune in and watch the great Lionel Messi play football isn't hard, lets be honest. All you have to do is sit comfortably on your couch and watch him play, either on a Saturday or Sunday night. To see what Messi does off the field is where the difficulty comes in. 

Messi is a shy, humble and non-flashy man, yes his style of play on the field is incredibly difficult to overlook but off it...does Leo have the 'swagger'?. Why is Messi still considered 'The King'?, the truth is because he deserves it. Ring the bell and let me show you...

INTRODUCING THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION OF THE NOU CAMP...

THE CHAMP

Undisputed 

From Roseria Sante Fe Argentina

26 Years Old

'The Flea' 'King Leo'

Lionel Andres 'Leo' Messi

Messi Messi Messi, the silent assassin should be his name. Perhaps because this man isn't as flash as CR7 or as sharp as DB, we assume he has no chance against these big hitters. That's where we are all wrong, Messi in his own charming way, sets trends for many to follow. 

Lets start with the hair, now when a young Messi made his debut for Barcelona the first thing that struck the world was his hair. The long silky black/brown locks, without even thinking about how good he might be on the field, we were drawn to his hair.

Messi started with the the young teenage scruffy look, which captured the young target market. From then Messi transformed, looking more and more elegant with his locks. Without Messi knowing, the style spread to the masses and more kids started growing their hair. They were all hoping to replicate their hero, look like Messi maybe you will play like him. 

Now Messi has transformed his looks, to a more conservative and elegant short cut. Showing his transition from youthful dazzler, to mature royalty. 

Change is always a good thing and it didn't take the public long to warm to Messi's new look, it didn't bother anyone because his performances on the pitch just kept getting better. Perhaps parents around the world were happier too, suddenly their kids didn't want the long 'Spartan' look anymore.

Messi has not only grown well on the pitch, but off it too. In his early playing career Messi was a Nike based player. He was involved in a few projects but never really was seen as a major contributor to the brand. Messi wore a selection of boots, T90's, Tiempo's and Mercurial Vapors...perhaps Nike will see their lack of capturing Messi early on as major mistake, but Adidas were spot on to sign him up. 

As seen in the picture above, Messi was part of the 'Joga Bonito' campaign. Messi's off the field team has been able to turn this boy wonder into a marketing machine, money makes the world go round.

Lionel Messi is the 10th wealthiest athlete in the world, the 26 year old footballer has a net worth of $41 million (According to Forbes). Considering that he is still only 26 and his source of wealth is generated predominantly from football, is staggering. Messi earns a cool £251 000 a week, (Including bonuses) Messi gets an extra 1.7 million. Nike offered Messi £120 000 a year to try persuade him to stay, but Messi and his team refused. Adidas came along and smashed out a £400 000 a year dea. Messi accepted and became the face of the famous F50 speed Adidas boot. The rest is history and now Messi gets a £2 million yearly salary from Adidas. 

The Messi marketing ship doesn't anchor there, Messi has also been on the covers of Pro Evolution Soccer, but in 2011 the superstar moved to EA's world famous FIFA. There is no recorded fee of how much EA pay the star, but they are a major contributor  to his off field endorsement deals which add up to a hefty $19 million (According to Forbes). Messi's other endorsements include Pepsi, Dolce & Gabanna, Turkish Airlines, Cherry, Audemars Piguet and more. 

In 2013 Adidas launched his icon signature line in 2013. It is only the second time they have done so for one of their brand ambassadors (the first was with David Beckham).

Messi has not only transformed himself in the financial ranks, he has moved up in the fashion scene. In our fist glimpses of Messi fashion wise, he started off with the baggy jeans, t-shirt and a sport jacket. Messi now has a stylist and he/she is working their magic, Messi has now become more dapper and buying high end fashion threads. 

Leo has become a style icon, many thanks  goes to his endorsement from Dolce & Gabanna. The Italians saw potential in Messi, when others couldn't. The little Argentinian does surprise those who don't see what he can do, Messi enjoys wearing his Dolce, Armani, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. He is certainly a well rounded style icon, he has grown in stature and become one of the top. 

Messi's upgrade in style has landed him in a few major style & fashion magazines across the globe. 

King Leo is a marketable figure, he sets the right examples on the field and off it. To be a true 'Off The Field' king you must set the best standards...always, Messi is one who does that. Marketability comes from good credibility and integrity. The big business's want to ensure their 'brand faces' are setting the right example. 

Messi is ambassador for Unicef and contributes his time and finances to different charities and projects around the world.

 

He is a family man, still getting used to life as a father but genuinely seems to be enjoying it. 

These are all the things that allows Messi to be so marketable. Of course a lot people will say its boring, they want someone like Ronaldo, flashy and in your face. Yes true this does sell, but a true king is watched on the thrown...not parading in the streets. 

Now with the world in his hands, what does Leo spend all this money on?.

Messi is a fan of white cars, most of his vehicles have a white paint job. His favorite is the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, he also has a Audi R8, Range Rover Evoque, Ferrari F430 Spider and others.

King Leo is what you would call the 'Secret Agent' of celebrities, he is hardly ever seen. When the little maestro is off the football field, he escapes the world's eye and enjoys his private time. His mason in Barcelona is incredibly difficult to see from ground level, well protected too. 

The Argentine's other assets include several properties in his hometown of Rosario in 

Argentina including the house he grew up in, an exclusive apartment, holiday homes and a massive compound for his family.

Messi isn't known for being a party man, but those close to him say that he is the life of a party.

On holiday Messi enjoys spending time with family as much as possible, but when he is able to get some down time, he often spends it with friends.

As the saying goes, ''Behind every successful man, lies a extremely gorgeous woman''. Meet Messi's childhood sweetheart  Antonella Roccuzzo, a Argentinian model. The two have been happily together for a long time and as mentioned previously, she gave birth to their first child, Thiago.  

Messi is certainly one lucky guy, the two spend as much time together as possible. Reports say Messi will be tying the note with his sweetheart very soon. 

Most athletes these days have seen the power of social netowrks, Messi and his team have also jumped on the ship. For someone who enjoys to keep his private life quiet, it must have taken a lot of convincing to get him to agree. If you would like to follow 'King Leo' on his various social media platforms, you can here. 

• Facebook LeoMessi
• Instagram leo10messi 

Well there you have it, the world's best player...'The King' of Barcelona, as we saw in the last edition Neymar put up a good fight, but Messi rules at the end of the day. Yes he may not be as flashy, but he makes it count where it matters. #OffTheFieldXT salutes you Leo, you do what you do well.

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this series, as today is a special day in South Africa (The 18th of July) I would like to use this opportunity to wish Mr. Nelson Mandela a very happy 95th birthday and a speedy recovery. Thank you Tata! God bless you.

If you would like to follow me on Twitter you can do so here Denisao4 

Thank you! Peace & Love

Off The Field - (Part 1) Messi vs. Neymar - 'The Golden Boy'

Millions of F.C Barcelona fans would have watched the CONFED Cup in Brazil with a lot pride, seeing their new boy Neymar light up the world with his stunning performances. Like many of us around the world, we are all excited by the prospect of seeing Messi and Neymar link up. Perhaps the only person who wasn't keen on the deal is Barcelona legend Johan Cruyf, the Dutch master recently had this to say about the Neymar move.

 "No, I wouldn't have signed Neymar," Cruyff told Marca. "With Neymar on board, I would have planned for the possibility of selling Messi - and some would agree with that, others not.'' 

"It's like the free kicks. Neymar is very good at taking them, and Messi has already shown he is. Who's going to take them?''

"Or the fact that Neymar and Barcelona are with Nike while Leo is with Adidas. These are situations that could cause problems."

Now you can either agree with the man or not, but he raises some valid points. Is there enough space for Neymar's growing ego in the changing room...already the Nou Camp has to cope with Messi's, will it work?. In my opinion I believe it will, but I thought it would be interesting to see who wins in terms of the off the field shine between the two. King Leo may be seen as a shy, humble and silent man off the field but he does stack a lot of cash (Lets forget the tax avoidance claims), he is one of the highest paid athletes on the planet. As for Neymar, he has come from being top dog in Brazil and now has to fight for the crown in Spain. 

CONTENDER #1

The Challenger 

From Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

21 Years Old

The 'Spice Boy' 'Golden Boy'

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior 

Now if you have no idea how popular this young man is in his home country, you surely have been asleep. Neymar is the poster boy for Brazil, following in the footsteps of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Robinho before him. His reputation is massive and so is his off the field presence, he may only be 21 but while he was in Santos...he ran the game. 

Now to be a 'Bling-Boy' you need to set trends, as we see in the pics above Neymar has certainly done so. The Ney-Hawk (Neymar Mohawk) at a stage was arguably the most favorite hairstyle at the barber shops in Brazil, every kid wanted one. Since then Neymar has moved to a more clean cut look, but the youngster knows how to appeal himself to the younger generation. He is a likable character, he likes to have fun and enjoys his life. 

He may have silky skills but the young man also has outrageous and quality celebrations, he definitely will show Xavi and the boys how to move and groove. He even went so far as to celebrate with his own face mask on, this got him booked (Bad Sport Referee) yet again showing the flair and charisma the boy has.

Here are a few clips of Neymar's celebration dances

The Brazil star has his own style when it comes to dressing off the field, he brings together a unique teen/young adult urban style to the dressing room. Neymar enjoys to rock his snapback or fitted caps whenever he can, his cross-chain, ear-rings, g-shock watches and any other ice accessories he can. Neymar also loves music so you can often see him with custom made Beats By Dre. If he isn't wearing his Armani clothing, you can often catch Neymar in his attire from Nike. Being one of Nike's highest endorsed athletes, Neymar takes full advantage of being able to rock their gear. 

Neymar can also clean up and look dapper when he has to...

Neymar has modeled for many brands in Brazil and Europe, as well as been on the cover of multiple magazines.

Of course the #1 mag every footballer wants to be on (besides Forbes) has to be GQ, Neymar was on the cover of his home edition this year. GQ might be big but Neymar is the only Brazilian athlete to ever grace the world famous TIME magazine, a massive achievement considering Brazil's sportsmen and women over the years.

 

We all know boys like their toys, in the land of the rich and famous what you drive is what you are. While in Brazil, Neymar had the car below plus a Porsche Panamera, a helicpoter and a yacht. You can also catch him time zone surfing in a private jet, personalized too.

Luxury

R8 Spider

We not exactly sure as to what cars the young footballer will be driving in Spain, he is still adjusting to the country. Buying a house and all, the youngster will be sixth highest paid player at Barcelona. Which leaves him miles behind 'King Leo' ,but in time the young man's wages will increase and either way he is still earning some serious cash. Neymar is after all the 7th richest footballer in the world, at 21 that is a massive achievement. 

Neymar may be all about fun and jokes but when it comes to girls, he doesn't joke around. Of course there are millions of women/girls around the world who would love to be with him, but sorry ladies he is taken. Introducing Bruna Marquezine (Yeah what a name but what a girl)

Bruna is from Brazil, she is a actress and model. The two have been happily together for some time and even though Neymar is already a young father it doesn't bother the couple. The Barca will be on hand to give Neymar props for having such a beautiful girlfriend, when Neymar isn't training the two enjoy spending time together. 

Neymar is a lad that loves to sing, dance and have a good time, he usually isn't far away from a party. The star might not party as much as he did in his teen years, when he can though...best believe its going down!. 

Neymar prefers to spend his time with friends and family on his $8million yacht. 

Neymar is highly endorsed by a number of brands and companies. Redbull, Internet Group do Brasil, Hublot and Nextel. Obviously Neymar's biggest endorsement deal is with Nike Football, in 2011 at 18/19 years old Neymar signed a 11 year contract with the mega sports brand. From all his deals Neymar takes home a stunning $10million, not bad for a young-gun. Neymar is the face of Nike's new boot the Hypervenom and the deal link up nicely, as both Brazil (His national team) & F.C Barcelona are Nike teams. 

Neymar is also up there in the social media game, whether it be Twitter or Instagram he seems to have all of them on lock. The fans love what adds, his flamboyant wealthy snaps, cute pics with him and family and his funny additions too. If you would like to follow Neymar on his various social network handles, here you go.

• Twitter @Njr92
• Facebook Neymaroficial
• Instagram njunior11

Neymar is certainly a world star, his move to Europe is one that will see him only grow as a player and brand. Does he have what it takes to compete with Messi?, indeed he does. The young Brazilian, is without a doubt the #1 contender to the crown. Will he beat Messi though? Stay tuned for Messi's blog on Thursday

Thanks as always for reading, hope you enjoyed this edition of #OffTheFieldXT

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter or Facebook you can do so here

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