Footballers who best fit IPL franchises: Messi to Mumbai? Ronaldo to RCB?

Cricket and football are two of the most loved sports in the world. While cricket is still developing in the Western part of the world, football has a wider reach.

The eighteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is slowly reaching its business end. Meanwhile, the football season is also heading towards a completion. CricTracker takes on a unique topic where it assigns footballers as faces of each of the 10 IPL teams.

Rajasthan Royals – Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal is one the most talented young footballers going around. The 17-year-old made his debut for Barcelona when he was just 15. He has won the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish footballer is destined for great things in the years to come.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have also been known for giving opportunities to youngsters over the years. In the first season, they had Taruwar Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in their ranks, who had recently won the Under-19 World Cup with the Indian team. Under Shane Warne’s leadership, the Royals went on to win the title. In IPL 2025, they gave a chance to 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who became the youngest player in the tournament’s history.

Punjab Kings –  Mohamed Salah

While Mohammad Salah has won many accolades for Liverpool, his hunger for success continues to remain the same. The Egyptian magician might be 32 years old, but he has been showing no signs of slowing down. He has played a massive role in Liverpool’s win in the Premier League in the 2024-25 season. Salah is one goal contribution away from equalling the greatest individual season in Premier League history in terms of attacking output. He has 46 goal involvements (28 goals, 18 assists), one short of joint-record holders Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole.

Punjab Kings (PBKS), on the other hand, have come out with the same vigour and passion season after season, even after failing to win an elusive first IPL title. There is no lack of effort from the management in terms of searching for the right ingredients that could bring them success. PBKS has made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They will want to go the distance and end their long wait this year.

Gujarat Titans – Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe won the FIFA World Cup in 2018 at the age of 19. In the following edition, he helped the team reach the finals even before turning 24. Interestingly, Gujarat Titans (GT) won the IPL in their first attempt in 2022. In the following edition, like Mbappe, they finished runners-up.

In club football, Mbappe made the move to Real Madrid from PSG ahead of the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, Gujarat’s first captain, Hardik Pandya, returned to Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024 after being in charge of the first couple of seasons.

Lucknow Super Giants – Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes was appointed as the captain of Manchester United in July 2023. He has embraced the prestigious responsibility with pride. His work ethic, understanding of the game, and ability to bring out the best out of his teammates have been praised by former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.

Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have always tried to rope in a lot of leaders in their squad. This season, they appointed Rishabh Pant as the skipper, but they also have Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh and South Africa’s T20 captain Aiden Markram to assist him. There is also Nicholas Pooran, who has led the West Indies in the shortest format in the past.

Kolkata Knight Riders – Neymar

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has been one of the most successful franchises in IPL history. They have won three titles – 2012, 2014, and 2024. The Knights have a huge fanbase, mainly because of their iconic co-owner Shah Rukh Khan. They have also shown great adaptability over the years. When they won their first two titles, the surfaces at their home ground – Eden Gardens – were low and slow. However, in IPL 2024, Eden Gardens produced several run-fests.

Neymar, on the other hand, is one of the most influential footballers of his generation. He has followers all around the globe. The Brazillian star is also known for his adaptability, fitting seamlessly in Barcelona and PSG’s contrasting systems.

Delhi Capitals – Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland, 24, is one of the most talented strikers in world football. He is known for his speed, strength, positioning, and finishing inside the box. In his debut Premier League season, Haaland broke the record for the most goals scored by a player in a single season, with 36 strikes in the 2022-23 season. He played well this season but Manchester City failed to win the title for the fifth consecutive time.

Delhi Capitals (DC) had a great start to IPL 2025 as they won their first four matches. However, they lost the plot through mid-season and eventually failed to make it to the playoffs. Delhi have had a penchant for acquiring tearaway pacers. Fast bowlers like Morne Morkel, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Umesh Yadav, and Varun Aaron have bowled fiery spells for the Capitals over the years.

Sunrisers Hyderabad – Harry Kane

Harry Kane is a match-winning striker, who scores for fun when he is on song. He likes to take the attack to opposition defenders. Whether he is playing for England or for Bayern Munich, he is pivotal in the team’s attacking prowess. Kane’s leadership skills and calmness under pressure stand out.

Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have had some fantastic opening combinations over the years. From Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner to Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, Hyderabad’s success has depended considerably on their opening batters. Pat Cummins leads SRH commendably, with the ball and in the field. He also has the ability to remain calm in pressure situations.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann is a popular footballer, not just because he is a fantastic footballer but because of his friendly demeanour and warmness. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also have immense fan following. One of the major reasons being the presence of the legendary Virat Kohli.

Griezmann is known for his grit and determination. RCB also have a never-say-die attitude as they continue their quest for a first-ever IPL title. Griezmann lost the UEFA Euro final in 2016. RCB also suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the IPL 2016 final.

Mumbai Indians – Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the best footballer to have played the sport. He has several records to his name. The Portuguese icon has the most goals in official matches, most goals in international football, most goals in UEFA Champions League, and most goals in European Championships. He has won the UEFA Euro Cup and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal. Ronaldo has also won the UEFA Champions League on five occasions.

Similarly, Mumbai Indians (MI) are one of the most decorated teams in IPL history. They won five IPL titles from 2013 to 2020. They also won the now-defunct Champions League T20 twice. The women’s team of Mumbai Indians have also won the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on a couple of occasions. MI’s sister franchise – MI Cape Town – which plays in the SA20, won the title this year. In 2024, MI Emirates won the ILT20.

Chennai Super Kings – Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has fans of all ages, from children to adults. This is evident from his jaw-dropping global popularity. Fans love him for his art. He reads the game better than most. Messi has gone from strength to strength as he has grown older. It took the Argentine stalwart five attempts to win the FIFA World Cup. He also won the Copa America twice after coming close on various occasions. The 37-year-old has won the most number of Ballon d’Ors. Messi is also an inspirational captain, who likes to lead from the front.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also have an enviable trophy cabinet. They also have five IPL titles. The Men in Yellow have won the Champions League T20 on two instances. In CSK’s matches, fans from all age groups can be spotted. MS Dhoni has been a talisman for CSK over the years. His leadership skills need no introduction. Every triumph that the franchise has had in all these years have come under Dhoni’s astute captaincy.