Who is the most famous athlete in the world?

Answer 1

For 2009
As of 2009, the top 5 most popular sports icons in the world are as follows:

1. Tiger Woods
2. Roger Federer
3. Yao Ming
4. Michael Phelps
5. David Beckham

The list is made from an average of many lists (basically, the average for most popular athlete in the world). Obviously, popularity changes very often. Thus, this list will change from year to year, possibly even month to month depending on how the athletes are doing.

The below answer is based from before 2009, and will not be as up-to-date.

:: David Beckham (World Soccer) - 4 votes
Without doubt, England captain David Beckham. He is the most searched for sports personality on the Internet and the most recognized non-politician in the world. Ask anyone in any soccer-playing country in the world - ie 99.9% of countries - for their heroes, and Beckham comes close to the top (especially with women...)

Michael Jordan (Basketball, USA) - 3 votes; spokesman for Nike and McDonald's, worldwide brands.

:: Tiger Woods (Golf, USA) - 2 votes

:: George Foreman (Boxing, USA) - owns grilling machine brand.

:: Muhammed Ali (Boxing, USA)

:: Ronaldo (World Soccer)

:: Michael Schumacher (Formula One)

:: Roger Federder (Tennis)

:: Wayne Gretzky (Hockey) - "the great one"

:: Usain Bolt (Track and Field)

I think it has to be Muhammad Ali. Beckham's fame and popularity is fading. I doubt if many people in the States would pick Schumacher out of a lineup.

Answer 2

According to Google and many other sources, Tiger Woods is the most famous athlete and the most recognized athlete in the world. With the recent drama involving his car accident and the 911 call coming from his house, he has gained even more attention.

The list continues on with David Beckham and Michael Phelps, especially after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, being close at 2 and 3.

Answer 3

ank:

1. Michael Jordan

2. Babe Ruth

3. Muhammad Ali

4. Jim Brown

5. Wayne Gretzky

6. Jesse Owens

7. Jim Thorpe

8. Willie Mays

9. Jack Nicklaus

10. Babe Didrikson

11. Joe Louis

12. Carl Lewis

13. Wilt Chamberlain

14. Hank Aaron

15. Jackie Robinson

16. Ted Williams

17. Magic Johnson

18. Bill Russell

19. Martina Navratilova

20. Ty Cobb

21. Gordie Howe

22. Joe DiMaggio

23. Jackie Joyner-Kersee

24. Sugar Ray Robinson

25. Joe Montana

26. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

27. Jerry Rice

28. Red Grange

29. Arnold Palmer

30. Larry Bird

31. Bobby Orr

32. Johnny Unitas

33. Mark Spitz

34. Lou Gehrig

35. Secretariat

36. Oscar Robertson

37. Mickey Mantle

38. Ben Hogan

39. Walter Payton

40. Lawrence Taylor

41. Wilma Rudolph

42. Sandy Koufax

43. Julius Erving

44. Bobby Jones

45. Bill Tilden

46. Eric Heiden

47. Edwin Moses

48. Pete Sampras

49. O.J. Simpson

50. Chris Evert

51. Rocky Marciano

52. Jack Dempsey

53. Rafer Johnson

54. Greg Louganis

55. Mario Lemieux

56. Pete Rose

57. Willie Shoemaker

58. Elgin Baylor

59. Billie Jean King

60. Walter Johnson

61. Stan Musial

62. Jerry West

63. Satchel Paige

64. Sammy Baugh

65. Althea Gibson

66. Eddie Arcaro

67. Bob Gibson

68. Al Oerter

69. Bonnie Blair

70. Dick Butkus

71. Roberto Clemente

72. Bo Jackson

73. Josh Gibson

74. Deion Sanders

75. Dan Marino

76. Barry Sanders

77. Cy Young

78. Bob Mathias

79. Gale Sayers

80. A.J. Foyt

81. Jimmy Connors

82. Bobby Hull

83. Honus Wagner

84. Man o' War

85. Maurice Richard

86. Otto Graham

87. Henry Armstrong

88. Joe Namath

89. Rogers Hornsby

90. Richard Petty

91. Bob Beamon

92. Mario Andretti

93. Don Hutson

94. Bob Cousy

95. George Blanda

96. Michael Johnson

97. Citation

98. Don Budge

99. Sam Snead

100. Jack Johnson

Alphabetical

Aaron, Hank (14)

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem (26)

Ali, Muhammad (3)

Andretti, Mario (92)

Arcaro, Eddie (66)

Armstrong, Henry (87)

Baugh, Sammy (64)

Baylor, Elgin (58)

Beamon, Bob (91)

Bird, Larry (30)

Blair, Bonnie (69)

Blanda, George (95)

Brown, Jim (4)

Budge, Don (98)

Butkus, Dick (70)

Chamberlain, Wilt (13)

Citation (97)

Clemente, Roberto (71)

Cobb, Ty (20)

Connors, Jimmy (81)

Cousy, Bob (94)

Dempsey, Jack (52)

Didrikson, Babe (10)

DiMaggio, Joe (22)

Erving, Julius (43)

Evert, Chris (50)

Foyt, A.J. (80)

Gehrig, Lou (34)

Gibson, Althea (65)

Gibson, Bob (67)

Gibson, Josh (73)

Graham, Otto (86)

Grange, Red (28)

Gretzky, Wayne (5)

Heiden, Eric (46)

Hogan, Ben (38)

Hornsby, Rogers (89)

Howe, Gordie (21)

Hull, Bobby (82)

Hutson, Don (93)

Jackson, Bo (72)

Johnson, Jack (100)

Johnson, Magic (17)

Johnson, Michael (96)

Johnson, Rafer (53)

Johnson, Walter (60)

Jones, Bobby (44)

Jordan, Michael (1)

Joyner-Kersee, Jackie (23)

King, Billie Jean (59)

Koufax, Sandy (42)

Lemieux, Mario (55)

Lewis, Carl (12)

Louganis, Greg (54)

Louis, Joe (11)

Man O' War (84)

Mantle, Mickey (37)

Marciano, Rocky (51)

Marino, Dan (75)

Mathias, Bob (78)

Mays, Willie (8)

Montana, Joe (25)

Moses, Edwin (47)

Musial, Stan (61)

Namath, Joe (88)

Navratilova, Martina (19)

Nicklaus, Jack (9)

Oerter, Al (68)

Orr, Bobby (31)

Owens, Jesse (6)

Paige, Satchel (63)

Palmer, Arnold (29)

Payton, Walter (39)

Petty, Richard (90)

Rice, Jerry (27)

Richard, Maurice (85)

Robertson, Oscar (36)

Robinson, Jackie (15)

Robinson, Sugar Ray (24)

Rose, Pete (56)

Rudolph, Wilma (41)

Ruth, Babe (2)

Russell, Bill (18)

Sampras, Pete (48)

Sanders, Barry (76)

Sanders, Deion (74)

Sayers, Gale (79)

Secretariat (35)

Shoemaker, Willie (57)

Simpson, O.J. (49)

Snead, Sam (99)

Spitz, Mark (33)

Taylor, Lawrence (40)

Thorpe, Jim (7)

Tilden, Bill (45)

Unitas, Johnny (32)

Wagner, Honus (83)

West, Jerry (62)

Willimas, Ted (16)

Young, Cy (77)

By Sport

Baseball (23*)

Football (20*)

Track/Field (12*)

Basketball (11)

Tennis (8)

Boxing (7)

Hockey (6)

Golf (6*)

Horse Racing (5)

Auto Racing (3)

Swimming/Diving (2)

Speed Skating (2)

* Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders counted as baseball and football. Babe Didrikson counted as track and field and golf. Jim Thorpe counted as baseball, football, and track and field.

Answer 4

Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan

Answer 5

Michael Jordan he's the best of all

Answer 6

Michael Jordan

Answer 7

Manny Pacquiao

Answer 8

Usain Bolt