When Paulo Dybala signed for Roma, the club from the capital didn’t only add a quality footballer to their ranks but also raise the overall profile of their team by associating the organisation with one of the world’s most marketable athletes. According to reports from Corriere dello Sport, the Argentine’s shirt sales exceeded those of Cristiano Ronaldo when the Portuguese superstar joined Juventus in 2018.On the day when CR7 signed for the Bianconeri from Real Madrid, the club sold 520,000 shirts in just a day. But Dybala exceeded that as the sales hit the 535,000-mark. Astonishing!Paulo Dybala has broken Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus record of most shirt sales on the day of the transfer announcement.Ronaldo to Juve sold 520,000 shirts on the opening day. Dybala hit approx. 535,000 shirt sales.(Corriere dello Sport) pic.twitter.com/IE6RWeC80M— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) July 23, 2022 Dybala’s arrival to Stadio Olimpico sparked high optimism from Roma fans, who are now looking to build on last season’s win of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Even though their team is yet to play a competitive match this season, the Giallorossi fans are supporting their club by splashing a record amount of cash on the kits with Dybala’s name on them.In the modern era of football, it’s not just about what can a player bring on the pitch but also on social media, one of the most powerful tools for harnessing the power of the market. Dybala has 48 million followers on Instagram, 15 million on Facebook, and 2.2 million on Twitter, and provides a significant boost to the Roman club in cyberspace.##NAJAVA_MECA_6524311##Dybala may not have taken the iconic number 10 shirt, but if he starts his Roma career strongly, number 21 could become equally significant in Jose Mourinho’s team. The number 10 remains firmly associated with Roma’s legendary captain Francesco Totti, who gave 25 seasons to the club.Dybala wasn’t going to touch Totti’s No.10 👑 pic.twitter.com/WcHDKVEqxA— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 21, 2022 La Joya was offered Totti’s number when he signed for Roma, but he declined out of respect for Totti, still referred to as the Prince of Rome.”I spoke to the general manager and he asked if I wanted to take number 10, which is so significant here because of everything Francesco Totti did. I think that shirt and that number should remain his because of what he means to the city and the fans. I thanked him because wearing a shirt like that requires a lot of respect and responsibility.”
