‘Messi's brand won't be badly damaged’

MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters): Lionel Messi may be heading home early from the World Cup after flops on the pitch for Argentina yet he will remain a ubiquitous presence in Russia and around the world as the face of dozens of brand marketing campaigns.

For while sporting success in a single tournament is a matter of contrasting luck and split seconds - Messi striking a penalty at the Iceland goalkeeper, arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal burying one in the Spanish net - results in Russia will do little in themselves to damage brand "Messi", nor perhaps much to enhance the global standing of Ronaldo's "CR7".

"Messi's brand won't be badly affected by that performance as his track record is otherwise consistently excellent," said Allyson Stewart-Allen, chief executive of International Marketing Partners in London, after Messi's second poor showing, in a 3-0 loss to Croatia, left Argentina facing an early exit.