2017 Most Popular Athletes - ESPN World Fame 100
This is the second year that ESPN have been calculating the world's most popular athletes, using a ranking based on a proprietary formula which factors online searches, endorsements and social media followers. The most famous athletes this year was the same as in 2016, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. We have also listed the top-ranked athlete from each sport and from each country that was on the list.
List of Top-10 most famous sports people of 2017
Here is the top-10 of the World's most famous sports people of 2017. Income and followers are listed as millions. Search popularity was also factored into the ranking. The top 3 were the same as last year. There were many women on the list too, the highest ranked was Ronda Rousey at 16th.
| Name | Sport | Nationality | Endorse- ments |
Followers | last year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | Portugal | 32 | Instagram 93 Facebook 118.1 Twitter 50.4 |
1 |
| 2 | LeBron James | Basketball | USA | 55 | Instagram 28.5 Facebook 22.6 Twitter 34.4 |
2 |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | Argentina | 28 | Instagram 65.1 Facebook 86.6 |
3 |
| 4 | Roger Federer | Tennis | Switzerland | 60 | Instagram 2.8 Facebook 14.2 Twitter 6.7 |
5 |
| 5 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | USA | 50 | - | 13 |
| 6 | Neymar | Soccer | Brazil | 23 | Instagram 68.2 Facebook 58.6 Twitter 27.3 |
4 |
| 7 | Usain Bolt | Athletics | Jamaica | 30 | Instagram 6.4 Facebook 19 Twitter 4.6 |
15 |
| 8 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | USA | 36 | Facebook 10.3 Twitter 15.5 |
6 |
| 9 | Rafael Nadal | Tennis | Spain | 32 | Instagram 2.6 Facebook 12.2 Twitter 12 |
10 |
| 10 | Tiger Woods | Golf | USA | 45 | Instagram 0.75 Facebook 2.9 Twitter 6.2 |
7 |
The Most Famous For Each Country
Here is the most famous sports people for each country in 2017, taken from the top 100 list.
| Nationality | Name | Sport | Endorse- ments |
Followers | overall rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Lionel Messi | Soccer | 28 | Instagram 65.1 Facebook 86.6 |
3 |
| Australia | Jason Day | Golf | 8.5 | Instagram 0.42 Twitter 0.43 |
85 |
| Belgium | Eden Hazard | Soccer | 4 | Instagram 8.1 Facebook 8.6 Twitter 4.8 |
78 |
| Brazil | Neymar | Soccer | 23 | Instagram 68.2 Facebook 58.6 Twitter 27.3 |
6 |
| Canada | Eugnie Bouchard | Tennis | 5.5 | Instagram 1.4 Facebook 1.5 Twitter 1.2 |
93 |
| Chile | Alexis Sanchez | Soccer | 20 | Instagram 5.5 Facebook 4.7 Twitter 2 |
29 |
| China | Ning Zetao | Swimming | 1.5 | - | 66 |
| Colombia | James Rodriguez | Soccer | 7 | Instagram 29.3 Facebook 31.7 Twitter 11.9 |
27 |
| Croatia | Ivan Rakitic | Soccer | 10 | Instagram 7.6 Facebook 3.5 Twitter 0.63 |
50 |
| Denmark | Caroline Wozniacki | Tennis | 7 | Instagram 1 Facebook 1.5 Twitter 1.9 |
87 |
| Egypt | Mohamed Salah | Soccer | 5 | Instagram 3.9 Facebook 6.7 Twitter 2.2 |
100 |
| England | Wayne Rooney | Soccer | 6 | Instagram 9.5 Facebook 25.1 Twitter 14.5 |
31 |
| France | Antoine Griezmann | Soccer | 5.7 | Instagram 8.7 Facebook 6.7 Twitter 3.4 |
36 |
| Germany | Mesut Ozil | Soccer | 6.5 | Instagram 11.1 Facebook 31 Twitter 14.4 |
30 |
| India | Virat Kohli | Cricket | 17.4 | Instagram 13.4 Facebook 33.9 Twitter 13.9 |
13 |
| Ireland | Conor McGregor | MMA | 4 | Instagram 11.1 Facebook 5.2 Twitter 3.6 |
25 |
| Ivory Coast | Didier Drogba | Soccer | 5 | Instagram 4.9 Facebook 9 Twitter 1.3 |
80 |
| Jamaica | Usain Bolt | Athletics | 30 | Instagram 6.4 Facebook 19 Twitter 4.6 |
7 |
| Japan | Kei Nishikori | Tennis | 30 | Instagram 0.23 Facebook 0.67 Twitter 0.75 |
20 |
| Mexico | Javier Hernandez | Soccer | 3 | Instagram 3.8 Facebook 4.9 Twitter 7.4 |
70 |
| Northern Ireland | Rory McIlroy | Golf | 35 | Instagram 1.2 Facebook 1.1 Twitter 3.1 |
14 |
| Philippines | Manny Pacquiao | Boxing | 2.5 | Instagram 3.7 Facebook 11.5 Twitter 0.12 |
59 |
| Poland | Robert Lewandowski | Soccer | 2.5 | Instagram 8.5 Facebook 9.1 Twitter 0.75 |
82 |
| Portugal | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | 32 | Instagram 93 Facebook 118.1 Twitter 50.4 |
1 |
| Russia | Maria Sharopova | Tennis | 15 | Instagram 2.3 Facebook 14.9 Twitter 5.2 |
23 |
| Scotland | Andy Murray | Tennis | 15 | Instagram 1.1 Facebook 3.7 Twitter 3.7 |
32 |
| Serbia | Novak Djokovic | Tennis | 34 | Instagram 3.1 Facebook 7 Twitter 7 |
12 |
| Spain | Rafael Nadal | Tennis | 32 | Instagram 2.6 Facebook 12.2 Twitter 12 |
9 |
| Sweden | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Soccer | 7 | Instagram 25.1 Facebook 26.1 Twitter 4.4 |
26 |
| Switzerland | Roger Federer | Tennis | 60 | Instagram 2.8 Facebook 14.2 Twitter 6.7 |
4 |
| Uruguay | Luis Suarez | Soccer | 5 | Instagram 20.3 Facebook 18.3 Twitter 8.7 |
38 |
| USA | LeBron James | Basketball | 55 | Instagram 28.5 Facebook 22.6 Twitter 34.4 |
2 |
| Wales | Gareth Bale | Soccer | 11 | Instagram 27.1 Facebook 28.3 Twitter 11.2 |
22 |
The most famous for each sport
Here is the most famous sports people for each sport taken from the top 100 list in 2017. It will probably surprise the North Americans that there are Major League Baseball or National Hockey League players on the top 100.
| Sport | Name | Nationality | Endorse- ments |
Followers | overall rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Football | Tom Brady | USA | 8 | Instagram 2 Facebook 4.3 |
21 |
| Athletics | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 30 | Instagram 6.4 Facebook 19 Twitter 4.6 |
7 |
| Auto Racing | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | USA | 9 | Instagram 0.42 Facebook 2.9 Twitter 2 |
69 |
| Badminton | Lin Dan | China | - | Facebook 0.3 | 88 |
| Basketball | LeBron James | USA | 55 | Instagram 28.5 Facebook 22.6 Twitter 34.4 |
2 |
| Boxing | Manny Pacquiao | Philippines | 2.5 | Instagram 3.7 Facebook 11.5 Twitter 0.12 |
59 |
| Cricket | Virat Kohli | India | 17.4 | Instagram 13.4 Facebook 33.9 Twitter 13.9 |
13 |
| Golf | Phil Mickelson | USA | 50 | - | 5 |
| Gymnastics | Simone Biles | USA | 1.7 | Instagram 3.5 Facebook 0.95 Twitter 0.94 |
48 |
| MMA | Rhonda Rousey | USA | 8 | Instagram 9.5 Facebook 11.3 Twitter 3.4 |
16 |
| Soccer | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 32 | Instagram 93 Facebook 118.1 Twitter 50.4 |
1 |
| Swimming | Ning Zetao | China | 1.5 | - | 66 |
| Table Tennis | Ma Long | China | - | - | 71 |
| Tennis | Roger Federer | Switzerland | 60 | Instagram 2.8 Facebook 14.2 Twitter 6.7 |
4 |
References
- The full top 100 list was originally published on the ESPN website
Related Pages
- Discussion about the world's most popular athletes
- about ESPN World Fame 100 and list of winners
- lists of most popular sports
- Highest paid athletes
- Greatest Athletes of All Time
- sporting heroes
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Upcoming Events