October 7 – Mario Balotelli, at only 23, is now the 19th most powerful person in world football with fellow players Messi (14th) and recently retired Beckham (8th), according to a list of ‘Football’s 20 Most Influential People’.
Compiled by the Bleacher Report, the list ranks the “the most important men who organise, profit from and participate in the beautiful game.”
Player agents are amongst the most powerful people in the modern game and this is reflected by the presence on the list of Jorge Mendes (5th). Mino Raiola (6th), Kia Joorabchian (12th), and Pini Zahavi (20th).
TV executives are represented by Barney Francis of Sky, who is the 9th most important person in world football.
The Qatari ruling family gets a mention at number 4, but the rest of the list is predictably mainly made up of football administrators, including Blatter and Platini in 1st and 2nd place respectively.
One football journalist made it into the top twenty – Henry Winter of the Daily Telegraph in England.
Full List:
1 Sepp Blatter
2 Michel Platini
3 Richard Scudamore
4 The Qatar Royal Family
5 Jorge Mendes
6 Mino Raiola
7 Sir David Richards
8 David Beckham
9 Barney Francis
10 Javier Tebas
11 Issa Hayatou
12 Kia Joorabchian
13 Wolfgang Niersbach
14 Leo Messi
15 Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein
16 Henry Winter
17 Eugenio Figueredo
18 Lennart Johansson
19 Mario Balotelli
20 Pini Zahavi
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1735875453labto1735875453ofdlr1735875453owedi1735875453sni@r1735875453ebab.1735875453kram1735875453