[Other Sport] Who Is The Most Famous Sportsman In The World?

[hans kraay fan club]

not disputed, my point was the difference between popularity and fame.

Then I fail to understand your point.

Tendulkar is massively more FAMOUS than any of the players you suggested.

 

[The Wizard]

I always think as a sports enthusiast it’s difficult to answer this question, in order to really find out who is the best known you’d need to ask this question on a forum that discusses train watching or bird watching, that way you find out who people know the most from those that aren’t really interested in sport.

 

[stewart12]

Princess Anne?

 

[jimhigham]

That's one of the things that I like about Pele. He's not too cool for school about it. He blatantly loves being a hero to his millions of fans and doesn't have much better to do than to acknowledge them in the way you described.

That said, over the last 10 years, I'd say Bolt

That’s a good shout and for similar reasons. I’ve bumped into (rather than actually met) Usain Bolt a few times at work over the last few years and he is the very epitome of somebody who is comfortable in their own skin. Unfailingly friendly, with time for everyone it seems, as if his achievements weren’t enough.

 

[Megazone]

Beckham

was always in the shadows of Gary Hart

 

[Megazone]

Surprised to see Please Name on that list.

I'd never even heard of him until now?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

That’s a good shout and for similar reasons. I’ve bumped into (rather than actually met) Usain Bolt a few times at work over the last few years and he is the very epitome of somebody who is comfortable in their own skin. Unfailingly friendly, with time for everyone it seems, as if his achievements weren’t enough.

I spent an entire day with him, in a huge empty hall at Excel London, for the filming of an advert, prior to the 2012 Olympics.

In between shoots, the day involved a LOT of hanging about. His rider / demands for the day, were a 'trailer' with a TV, and xBox with FIFA, jerk chicken and rice, and a football goal and a ball. Myself and various other underlings spent about three hours playing headers and volleys with him. Top, top bloke.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Where's 'you mum' when you need him?

 

[jimhigham]

I spent an entire day with him, in a huge empty hall at Excel London, for the filming of an advert, prior to the 2012 Olympics.

In between shoots, the day involved a LOT of hanging about. His rider / demands for the day, were a 'trailer' with a TV, and xBox with FIFA, jerk chicken and rice, and a football goal and a ball. Myself and various other underlings spent about three hours playing headers and volleys with him. Top, top bloke.

I love that. Great to hear. Seems he knows he struck gold in the lottery of life and he's grateful.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Only one winner really.

I think you could go to every country in the world and people would recognise Ali.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Michael Jordan. His partnership with Nike has never been matched by any other athlete past or present for world wide brand recognition.

 

[Trufflehound]

must be about the biggest non-Pope draw on the planet

David Hasselhoff?



Or Christopher Biggins, obviously...

 

[LlcoolJ]

Dhoni is probably next, to The Little Master in terms of levels of adulation.

In terms of fame, also him, or MAYBE Sunil Gavaskar.

All three are miles more famous than the likes of Warne or Botham

And Virat is on the way to demi-god status as well.

But Sachin is still at another level for sure.

 

[Frutos]

Surely has to be Muhammad Ali.

 

[Easy 10]

Ali, without any shadow of a doubt. As others said, truly transcended his sport to become a global icon. He wasn't just a phenomenal exponent of his craft, he was even more of an inspiration outside of the ring.

New York Times columnist William Rhoden wrote"Ali's actions changed my standard of what constituted an athlete's greatness. Possessing a killer jump shot or the ability to stop on a dime was no longer enough. What were you doing for the liberation of your people ? What were you doing to help your country live up to the covenant of its founding principles ?"

Not just a great sportsman. A great man.

 

[spence]

Surely has to be Muhammad Ali.

Most people including you wasn't even alive to see him.

I was to young myself

So in my lifetime it's either Mike Tyson,Beckham or Maradona

 

[blue-shifted]

was always in the shadows of Gary Hart

Certainly in one person's experience he was

 

[Live by the sea]

The two most famous in my opinion are Federer and Ronaldo over the last 10 years.

 

[dazzer6666]

You are miles wide of the mark. MILES.

The others you list are recognisable to cricket followers worldwide. Khan, add a few more through his subsequent political career. Botham also known to a few more from a sponsored walk or two and some Shredded Wheat ads, Warne for shagging Liz Hurley and having a thatch.

Sachin Tendulkar, the highest Test run scorer of all time, is revered - considered as a demi-God - by 1.4 BILLION people in India, and many millions more Indian diaspora all around the world.

Completely and utterly incomparable.

........................if you talk about Ali in India you'll possibly get a blank-faced response, particularly from anyone under 40. Talk about Sachin to virtually anyone - from kids to grannies - and they can (and will if you let them) recite every bloody stat from his entire career. In terms of the simple sheer number of people who would rate him as their top sportsman, Sachin is on a different planet.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don’t think Ali is that well known in South America or as pointed out above, in India. Boxing isn’t such a world wide sport.

Football is played everywhere so it’s Pele for me.