No one better illustrates the power of mass communication and globalisation than professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. On the day his $130m (€93m) transfer was agreed from the UK to Spain, Portuguese Ronaldo was out cavorting with American Paris Hilton in a move seen as a bid to boost his profile among Latinos.

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez Rodríguez takes the view that Ronaldo, with the help of a few publicity stunts, will not only cheer up his fans, but bring the club cross-border media and marketing deals to help cover the transfer fee. He has doubled up his international bet by signing up Kaka of Brazil and he is thought to want to buy French star Franck Ribéry from Bayern Munich of Germany, as well.