AC Milan and Inter Milan have unveiled joint plans for a new 71,500-seater stadium, with construction set to begin in 2028 and naming rights already sold to Italian insurer Generali. The Milan derby at San Siro marks the venue's twilight years. Meanwhile, the Ballon d'Or race highlights the shifting landscape of star power in football. Harry Kane narrowly missed a historic second consecutive award, beating Kylian Mbappé by the smallest margin in the award's history.
While Kane's down-to-earth persona and consistent excellence secured his win, the marketing world grapples with choosing between stars. Mbappé, despite $35 million in off-field earnings and 137 million Instagram followers, faced a major controversy in China after referring to Mao Zedong as a 'dictator,' leading to sponsorships being terminated. Kane, with $12 million in earnings and 21 million followers, represents a safer but less globally impactful marketing choice.
The departure of Messi and Ronaldo has left a vacuum, making the selection of bankable talent more complex than ever.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing