The Most Famous Athletes in the World

The most famous athletes in the world are the ones who win the most titles, hold the most records and play in international competitions.
The Most Famous Athletes in the World

Last update: 16 April, 2020

We all know of famous athletes, even if we aren’t sports fans. People consider them to be superstars and they have fans around the globe. Do you know who they are? In this article, we’ll tell you.

Who are the most famous athletes in the world?

Most of them are soccer players because it’s the most popular sport on the planet. However, we also have representatives from other disciplines. The most famous athletes today are:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

This Portuguese soccer player, currently playing for Italian Juventus, is considered one of the best in the world. Forward and scorer, CR7- known by his initials and the number of his jersey- is one of the most prominent figures in the sports world.

Cristiano Ronaldo playing soccer.

For nine seasons, he played for Real Madrid. In fact, he was the most expensive player in the world at the time. Additionally, he’s Europe’s fourth top scorer in history. Also, he broke some records, such as being the first player to get four Golden Boots.

2. Lionel Messi: famous athletes

This player for Argentina, who spent his entire career at FC Barcelona, is another of the most famous athletes in the world. In fact, he has fans even in the most remote countries. He’s considered one of the best soccer players in the world, has five Ballon d’Or’s, and he’s won 34 titles with the Catalan team.

Lionel Messi on the soccer field.

Messi is a fantastic scorer and has been the top scorer in the Spanish League, the Spanish Super Cup, and the European Super Cup. In turn, he won the title of top scorer in the Champions League and the Argentina National Team.

3. LeBron James

Everyone knows the great LeBron, the basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and is 6’9″ tall. He’s considered the best basketball player in the world. In fact, some people think he’s even better than Michael Jordan.

Many people think LeBron James is one of the most famous athletes in the world.

Also, LeBron is the youngest player to reach 30,000 points in the NBA. Popularly known as The King, he also has two gold Olympic medals (Beijing 2008 and London 2012) and one bronze in Athens 2004.

4. Neymar

Another soccer player in the list of the most famous athletes, and he is from Brazil, one of the best countries for soccer. Currently, Neymar plays for Paris Saint-Germain. However, he gained fame during the four years he played for FC Barcelona between 2013 and 2017.

Neymar playing soccer for the Brazilian team.

Since 2010, Neymar has played for the Brazilian team. He won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

5. Famous athletes: Roger Federer

The Swiss tennis player is another of the most famous athletes in the world. In fact, he’s won more Grand Slam titles than any other. In total, he won 20 tennis cups. Eight at Wimbledon, six in Australia, five in the US and one in Roland Garros.

Roger Federer playing tennis.

In addition, Federer has two Olympic medals: a gold one from Beijing 2008 playing men’s doubles with Stan Wawrinka, defeating the Swedish double Aspelin-Johansson. He also has a silver medal from London 2012 where he fell to British Andy Murray in singles.

6. Tiger Woods

When people talk about golf, they think of Tiger Woods. Born in 1975 in California, he’s in the group of the three best golfers in history, along with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.

Tiger Woods is one of the most famous athletes in the world.

He has 15 majors after winning the Augusta Masters five times, the US Open three times, the British Open three times and four PGA Championships.

7. Rafael Nadal: famous athletes

We can’t forget this exceptional Spanish tennis player on the list of the world’s most famous players. “Rafa” is currently second in the ranking of tennis players and has 19 Grand Slam titles. In fact, 12 of these are from Roland Garros. Also, he’s the player with more tournaments on clay courts– an Australian Open, two Wimbledon Championships, and four US Opens.

Rafael Nadal hitting a ball on the tennis court.

In addition, Nadal has two Olympic gold medals. He has one from Beijing 2008 in singles, and from Rio de Janeiro 2016 in doubles.

Finally, other famous athletes are the fighter Conor McGregor, Kilian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, and the tennis players Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.


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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.