In Iltalehti's poll of Finnish football fans, Lionel Messi won overwhelmingly in all provinces. Women favored Ronaldo, young people supported him the most.
Lionel Messi crushed Cristiano Ronaldo in Iltalehti's readers' vote, winning in every province of Finland. The voting result was unequivocal: Messi won overwhelmingly, while Ronaldo came in second in all areas. 7 percent support.
Men clearly voted for Messi, but Ronaldo was the more popular choice among women. The age breakdown revealed a clear trend: young 18-24 year olds were the only group where Ronaldo outperformed Messi, while over-55s supported the Argentine star almost unanimously. Gender analysis offers an interesting angle to sports marketing.
Although Messi dominates the overall result, Ronaldo's popularity among women is a significant deviation. This suggests that Ronaldo's brand – built heavily on visual identity, lifestyle and social media exposure – transcends traditional football audiences more effectively than Messi's low-key persona. Messi appeals to orthodox fans, but Ronaldo has managed to build himself into a lifestyle icon that attracts even those who don't follow the league tables every week.
At the same time, the age distribution paints a picture of the changing fan culture. The fact that 18-24-year-olds are the only group that prefers Ronaldo speaks to the influence of social media and "tiktok sports". Young people consume sports often through highlighted individual performances and personalities, where Ronaldo's confidence and statistics-focused brand work perfectly.
The older generations, on the other hand, value the understanding and historical context of the game more, which can be seen in Messi's huge popularity among the over 55s. This divides Finnish fans into two camps: traditional game lovers and modern entertainment consumers. The results reflect a wider phenomenon in the football community where player brands share opinions.
Messi is often regarded as a pure artist of the game and a legend built through achievements, which appeals to traditional fans. Ronaldo's sensational personality and physical performance, on the other hand, resonate more strongly with younger and female voters who value visible charisma. The geographical distribution is interesting: Lapland's extreme focus on Messi contrasts with the more moderate figures in Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa.
This may indicate how deeply rooted Football culture is in different regions or how the media flavor player images in remote areas compared to growth centers. From a sports marketing perspective, the results show that Ronaldo's "brand" works in certain demographic bubbles, but Messi's appeal transcends regional and social boundaries. A comparison with the historical context is essential.
In recent years, Messi has strengthened his position as the best player in the world with the World Cup gold and transfer miracles, which is now reflected in the choices of Finnish fans. Ronaldo's quieter success at the club level may have undermined his position in the "GOAT" conversation, though his stats remain top-notch. The vote is not just a race between two men, but a measure of how Finns evaluate the sporting heritage as a counterweight to the current public image.
What follows from this? As both stars approach the end of their careers, the conversation gradually shifts to the legacy they leave behind. In Finland, Messi seems to be winning this legendary battle in opinion, but Ronaldo's influence in the market remains significant.
The next big gauge will be how a new generation of players can fill the boots left by these giants. Read at Iltalehti Urheilu
The result reflects the clear preference of Finnish football fans for Lionel Messi, even though Cristiano Ronaldo is known for his personality. The voting result highlights the differences in players' image and achievements both by province and by age group. Messi is considered the spirit of the game, which is reflected in his overwhelming victory in all provinces. Ronaldo gathers support especially among younger people and women, but cannot surpass Messi in any province.
Iltalehti Urheiluiltalehti.fi2 Jul, 13:05fi
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