Frank Fifea / AP In 2018, our article Federer and the golden nugget: the value of athletic sponsorship honed in on the art of finding a perfect fit between a brand and an athlete. We talked about Brazilian superstar and forward for the Paris Saint-Germain football team, Neymar da Silva Santos Jùnior . Already admired from a very young age, Neymar was nicknamed “ O Ney ”, in reference to “O Rey”, the alias given to the legendary footballer Pelé. The bar was set high for young Neymar. Nike knew he was special from the start and decided to make a long-shot bet that he would live up to his reputation. Imagine you’re a 13-year-old teenager , already playing first team for Santos FC in Brazil, and the biggest sports brand in the world knocks at your door offering you a brand ambassador deal . Would you be crazy enough to say no? Santos FC Of course not! So, the wonderkid signs with Nik...
