How football's greatest active goalscorer became commercially invisible, why FIFA's identity system is being outrun by fan behavior, and what three consecutive World Cup absences actually cost a feder
I’d like to make a different argument about Kane. I think his limited commercial appeal is due to his long stint as a Spurs player. He’s never really had the story/personality of other greats around his level, and hasn’t been able to leverage the club appeal of the Arsenals, Real Madrids or Manchester Utd’s of the world.
That he was an overachiever there without any standout solo moments also hurt his stock. Even though he’s at Bayern now, his talent is only really starting to be recognized on the level it deserves to. Profiled against Haaland, Mbappe or other superstars, he’s starting from a long way behind.
Add his lack of personality to all that context and you get a mid commercial profile. Not sure we can say he chose a different path when the other was not available to him for so long.
You make a great point. I believe that in the age of social media and endless alternatives, if he wanted it—or if clubs deemed it important enough—they would make it happen. I'm not so sure about him being an overachiever without any standout solo moments; he won the Golden Boot in 2018, which is an absolute peak in a footballer's career and incredibly rare.
Plenty of players have built careers on specific attributes that have nothing to do with extroversion, and it works (take Messi, for example: he's a larger-than-life icon who still comes across as completely down-to-earth—though, to be fair, he is Messi).
The reality is that Kane's biggest asset and differentiator is his reliability. He is trustworthy, which is incredibly valuable for brand positioning. The catch is that overexposure is the enemy of that kind of persona. The upside, though, is that this type of image extends far beyond his playing days.
100%, especially when you look at their predecessors—guys like Gary Lineker, who became a businessman, and Peter Crouch, who is now a celebrity in his own right.
I couldn't agree more. I also think he's playing the long game, thinking about what his brand will look like after he retires. It's hard for athletes—even the most talented ones—to find their footing once their playing days are over. By avoiding overexposure, he's showing a great read of current market dynamics and how to protect himself against them.
I’d like to make a different argument about Kane. I think his limited commercial appeal is due to his long stint as a Spurs player. He’s never really had the story/personality of other greats around his level, and hasn’t been able to leverage the club appeal of the Arsenals, Real Madrids or Manchester Utd’s of the world.
That he was an overachiever there without any standout solo moments also hurt his stock. Even though he’s at Bayern now, his talent is only really starting to be recognized on the level it deserves to. Profiled against Haaland, Mbappe or other superstars, he’s starting from a long way behind.
Add his lack of personality to all that context and you get a mid commercial profile. Not sure we can say he chose a different path when the other was not available to him for so long.
You make a great point. I believe that in the age of social media and endless alternatives, if he wanted it—or if clubs deemed it important enough—they would make it happen. I'm not so sure about him being an overachiever without any standout solo moments; he won the Golden Boot in 2018, which is an absolute peak in a footballer's career and incredibly rare.
Plenty of players have built careers on specific attributes that have nothing to do with extroversion, and it works (take Messi, for example: he's a larger-than-life icon who still comes across as completely down-to-earth—though, to be fair, he is Messi).
The reality is that Kane's biggest asset and differentiator is his reliability. He is trustworthy, which is incredibly valuable for brand positioning. The catch is that overexposure is the enemy of that kind of persona. The upside, though, is that this type of image extends far beyond his playing days.
Really appreciate the Kane callout. Not every athlete needs constant exposure or personality to build a strong portfolio and leverage their celebrity.
Yes, I agree. Good to see Kane recognised as doing "star striker" differently.
100%, especially when you look at their predecessors—guys like Gary Lineker, who became a businessman, and Peter Crouch, who is now a celebrity in his own right.
I couldn't agree more. I also think he's playing the long game, thinking about what his brand will look like after he retires. It's hard for athletes—even the most talented ones—to find their footing once their playing days are over. By avoiding overexposure, he's showing a great read of current market dynamics and how to protect himself against them.