Messi Memorabilia Sales Top Chart, U.K. Fans Falling For Him

Former ManU Merchandising Dir EDWARD FREEDMAN said that sales figures for FC Barcelona player LEO MESSI's signed memorabilia on Icons.com shows the Argentinian is now the U.K.'s favorite footballer. Freedman, also Icons Chair and labeled "football's merchandising guru" by The Economist, said that Messi memorabilia now outsells Real Madrid's CRISTIANO RONALDO, the next best-selling player by more than four times and leaves ManU's WAYNE ROONEY and Liverpool's STEVEN GERRARD trailing in his wake. Freedman: "U.K. football fans love Spanish football and Messi in particular. He's the neutral's favourite with most football lovers now agreeing he is the best in the world, if not the best ever. The U.K. public has fallen in love with him" (Icons.com). 

Sales figures through Icons.com from April '11 - April '12:

Player	Team/Nation	Units sold
1. Leo Messi	Barcelona, Argentina	2021
2. Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid, Portugal	496
3. Robin Van Persie	Arsenal, Holland	481
4. Kaka	AC Milan, Brazil	477
5. Luis Suarez	Liverpool, Uruguay	409
6. Andres Iniesta	Barcelona, Spain	386
7. Steven Gerrard	Liverpool, England	365
8. Wayne Rooney	ManU, England	274
9. Diego Maradona	Argentina	261
10. Fernando Torres	Chelsea, Spain	254