STAR FOOTBALLERS’ BRAND BUILDING ON SOCIAL MEDIA: DIGITAL PRESENCE, AUTHENTICITY, AND MARKET VALUE

Today’s football players are no longer merely athletes but strategically constructed personal brands that generate substantial social and economic value. In the digital era, social media plays a pivotal role in this process by enabling direct interaction with fans while offering sponsors and brand partners an authentic channel to reach target audiences. Despite the growing relevance of athlete brand building, insights into the strategic mechanisms shaping footballers’ personal brands remain limited, particularly in smaller European football markets. This study examines how football players evolve into successful star brands, which strategic and tactical tools contribute to this process, and how digital presence influences reputation and market value. The research is grounded in the Model of Athlete Brand Image and the Athlete Brand Authenticity Model, providing a structured framework for analysing footballers as market actors. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on in-depth expert interviews with sports marketing professionals, player agents, sponsorship managers, and social media strategists. The analysis includes perspectives related to the Hungarian football context, while also incorporating international examples discussed by the interviewees. The findings indicate that both on-field performance and off-field activities play a central role in athlete brand building. While consistent sporting performance primarily reinforces perceived authenticity and credibility, off-field activities and digital communication contribute to shaping visibility and audience engagement. These dynamics are particularly relevant for footballers operating in smaller markets such as Hungary, where brand-building opportunities are more limited compared to footballers playing in top European leagues and for strong national teams.