Where the King Goes: Elite Cues, Institutional Legitimacy, and the Migration of Football Talent

• In Event: Transnational participation, limits of citizenship and diffusion

Brief Overview

Global icons like Ronaldo, Messi, and Drogba shape player migration by legitimizing emerging leagues. Using political science theories, we show how their moves act as elite cues, sparking bandwagon effects and diffusing credibility across football.

Authors

• Shuli Zhang, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus

• Jing Li, Sichuan International Studies University