Kenshin001
Member
younger people doesnt know who the fuck is Ali.
Who is that in the picture?
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Who is the most famous sports person of all time?
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Who is that in the picture?
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Exactly. Who?
Rktk
Member
Because it's Emile Heskey.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Surprised people are suggesting Jordan. Only time I really heard about him was Space Jam & some old sports video games
gotta be Ali
gotta be Ali
Interferon
Member
Michael Schumacher
But you've still heard of him.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
But I've seen Ali on TV, be it talking about his illness or his classic fights.
a lot
theignoramus
Member
Ayrton Senna was a god in Japan, Honda has a giant footprint in the history of F1 and there have been Grand Prix in Japan, Malaysia, and China for years. (In Japan, Grand Prix have been held there for decades)
lovely ladies
Member
Brent Barry
Chuckie
Member
Yeah but I wonder if younger generations will? Jordan was really really popular in the 90-ies, also here in Holland but when he retired that was over (here I mean)
Michael Jordans name REALLY rarely gets mentioned anymore in Holland.
Tbh I have no idea how it is in other European and Asian countries, but if it is an indication than no way that MJ is the most famous sportsman in the world.
I personally don't think young generations will still remember him, unlike Muhammad Ali.
I bet shitloads of younger people saw the movie with Will Smith.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Exactly, I don't expect kids play Jordan vs Bird on their 8086 computer.
or watch space jam, although they should probably hit up the website
I remember it various times being reported on the news back in the day that michael Jordan was THE most famous person on the planet, followed closely by the Michael Jackson.
Anyone in the world knows Jordan, when regular folk out there look at a Nike shoe its associated with mj still.
Soccer dudes are big yeah but not even close, considering north America in general doesn't care about the sport.
Ali is still higher thou.
Ali at one. Jordan at two.
When a player becomes so big that they ARE the sport its something else.
MJ is basketball.
Ali is boxing.
Anyone in the world knows Jordan, when regular folk out there look at a Nike shoe its associated with mj still.
Soccer dudes are big yeah but not even close, considering north America in general doesn't care about the sport.
Ali is still higher thou.
Ali at one. Jordan at two.
When a player becomes so big that they ARE the sport its something else.
MJ is basketball.
Ali is boxing.
theignoramus
Member
Senna is an unknown name in contemporary America. But Schumacher is well known in the States.
Jaffaboy
Member
Obviously David Beckham. Played the most popular sport in the world for Manchester United, arguably the team with the biggest fan base worldwide, and Real Madrid. Also played in the USA and is a fashion icon, married to a pop icon who is also a fashion icon. Maybe younger kids might not recognise him easily compared to more current players like Messi or Ronaldo but everyone above the age of 12 will probably know who David Beckham is. More current than Muhammad Ali, more international than Michael Jordan, much more popular sport than Tiger Woods.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
NA is a small percentage of the population though
I agree Ali is the most famous by far, but there are going to be people between Ali and Jordan for sure. Pele, Ronaldo, Beckham, Tendulkar...
Even by Messi?
As an American, I probably have a bias against popular Soccer players like Pele. Also, I am 24, so I have no idea how the culture surrounding Muhommad Ali was at the height of his relevence.
So...for me it's got to be Michael Jordan, with Tiger Woods at a distant 2nd place. When I was a kid, MJ was everywhere, that is truly a man who knows how to sell the fuck out.
So...for me it's got to be Michael Jordan, with Tiger Woods at a distant 2nd place. When I was a kid, MJ was everywhere, that is truly a man who knows how to sell the fuck out.
He sells much more jerseys worldwide than the whole Barcelona together if I remember correctly. So I guess this is a good indicator that, yes.
AllIsOneIsNone
Banned
Not saying Michael Jordan is the most famous sports person of all time, but it does shock me that anybody that uses the internet on a daily basis/is in tune with popular culture doesn't know who he is. He has the most iconic shoe in the world made by the most popular shoe manufacturer in the world, his face has been all over the place in the media for nearly 30 years, and he's constantly used in GIFs on neogaf if nothing else.
LanceVance
Member
I only know Michael Jordan because of Space Jam sooooooo ya
Also who the fuck is Gretzky
Also who the fuck is Gretzky
Sir_Crocodile
Member
I legit haven't seen him since Space Jam, and although I know the trainers are branded for him, this is also knowledge I picked up a long time ago when he was in videogames like Jordan VS Bird. People aren't naturally going to equate the trainers to the man unless they live somewhere where basketball is big
But you know him, that's the point. Everybody knows him, for whatever the reason may be.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Space Jam is now 19 years old though
Soodanim
Gold Member
I thought of Beckham, but I wouldn't guess that he's more well known than Jordan or Ali. Tiger Woods is probably the only golfer I could name, and that's because he's famous enough to transcend his sport.
I came into the thread thinking Jordan, but Ali might be more famous. Jordan was 90s famous and lives on through Space Jam and Jordans, but Ali has been famous for a lot longer and his name hasn't really gone anywhere. Ali's still the best known boxer you can think of other than Tyson, and he's not more famous than Ali.
Those people would of needed to be the most popular person in the world during their prime for that, like ali and Jordan. And even outside the America's like for example Asia, I think they would recognize MJ over almost anyone on that list.
Interestingly, Lionel Messi was voted seventh most popular Athlete in the US. Michael Jordan was in 1st place.
http://www.insidespanishfootball.co...th-most-popular-athlete-in-the-united-states/
Elvin Atombender
Member
The top-10 is probably football (soccer) players only (maybe Ali).
It's basically the only sport that is played and watched in the entire world. You can go almost anywhere and there will be people who know about famous football-players. In a lot of countries they probably haven't even seen basketball (Jordan) or golf (Woods)
It's basically the only sport that is played and watched in the entire world. You can go almost anywhere and there will be people who know about famous football-players. In a lot of countries they probably haven't even seen basketball (Jordan) or golf (Woods)
freakzilla149
Banned
Who the fuck are these people?
crimzonflame
Member
Jordan. Remember the crowds and attention he drew with the Dream Team in Barcelona?
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Pele was. And Ronaldo, Beckham & Tendulkar are all either people who are currently active or only recently retired.
Chuckie
Member
I haven't seen him in any media for almost 20 years though.
I really think young non-Americans will not know him.
Sir_Crocodile
Member
The preface is used because of how far back the events are. The last thing I remember him from was 19 years ago. And thus would be a barrier to younger people not interested in bball knowing who he is.
Jackie is big but not that big but babe ruth on the other was the biggest star in the world.
Can't you say the same about other people mentioned in this thread? When was the last time Ali was in the news? The film is near 15 years old.
Why would young non football fans know who Pele and Maradona are?
……forgetit
Member
Hockey isn't really a huge sport.
Also Muhammad Ali, only one known in most countries.
Jezbollah
Member
The "world"? You mean within the USA.
I thought Ali too when thinking about an answer to this question.
1st Course
Member
Number of Chinese tourists up 69 percent on year; Ronaldo fronts campaign
C.Ronaldo also apparently have 12 million followers on Weibo (China's twitter) making him one of the most followed athletes on the site.
Also another article about C.Ronaldo popularity on Asia: Amid World Cup Fever, Cristiano Ronaldo Tops Twitter in Asia
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealt...fever-cristiano-ronaldo-tops-twitter-in-asia/
Sir_Crocodile
Member
In the UK he was in the news a couple of months ago when he was unwell.
They wouldn't, but football is far more popular then basketball.
Kenshin001
Member
Kind of crazy he has 100 million Facebook likes and 32 million twitter followers. I don't think many Americans in this thread realise how famous and popular he is.
EmptySpace
Banned
"no one knows michael jordan outside usa"
ignorance at its finest.
ignorance at its finest.
he is
Lady Gaga has more followers than Madonna, the Biebs has more than Michael Jackson (heh... ...
)While the former is indeed an incredibly influental artist, i still would believe Madonna and Jackson to be overall "more famous" and more significant, a 100 years from now.
Biebs is no Elvis,
Lebron is no Jordan,
Ronaldo (whatever iteration, be it fat/bald brazilian or horse-toothed -inho) is no Pele
followers and FB likes are an indication about current popularity. The thread is about "of all time", which imho includes past, present and foreseeable future imho.
The youngins kill for an Air Jordan though. It's not a matter of how long ago he did something relevant, he just stays on your mind, you talk about him to your son, you compare someone doing something to him etc. He is what he is.
he is
Lady Gaga has more followers than Madonna, the Biebs has more than Michael Jackson (heh... ...
While the former is indeed an incredibly influental artist, i still would believe Madonna and Jackson to be overall "more famous" and more significant, a 100 years from now.
Biebs is no Elvis,
Lebron is no Jordan,
Ronaldo (whatever iteration, be it fat/bald brazilian or horse-toothed -inho) is no Pele
followers and FB likes are an indication about current popularity. The thread is about "of all time", which imho includes past, present and foreseeable future imho.
Considering this, I DOUBT that there is anyone in the world that likes football to the point of supporting a team/watching some games that doesn't know who Cristiano Ronaldo is. I would bet that there are more people alive today that knows him but doesn't know who Pele is, so he may be more famous than Pele.
In his time he was the biggest star in the world.
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