With the generation today, the more popular you are in social media, the better chance for you to earn good money. When pandemic happened, the popularity of exhibition fights really did cater to the public who were deprive of the regular games. And these people who got involved into this kind of fight, came to know that they can really earn good money out of it. And look up until now, they are still trying to milk this kind of fight. Because people are still buying this type of event.
One social media optimization that only a few got to use early enough which has now been of so much benefit to them now that the endless benefit is one which we cannot overly emphasise but we don't hope to have more pandemic but so far it's clear that away from the pandemic, the convenience that comes with it is an advantage that can be explored without necessarily having a situation of a pandemic.
So let’s say, passion and hard work contributed to Ronaldo and Messi achievements in football and that has made them famous, because even in the early days of their career social media wasn’t there and yet they’re able to dominate social media even now due to their influence and what they’ve done. Making them the most followed athlete in social media.
Now I get your point, most of the footballer this days is you do your finding playing football wasn’t really what they wanted to do in life. Meaning they had other career paths but then the opportunity of playing football came which also serves as a route to get rich, whether the passion is there or not.