THE NFL’S ATTEMPTS to grow American football as a global sport appears to be having little effect on fans as just two players ranked inside the top-50 of ESPN’s World Fame 100 rankings.
In between back-t0-back Champions League final appearances with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo won a European Championships with Portugal so it’s little surprise he’s top of the list for the second year in a row, thanks in part to his 260 million social media followers.
His nickname might be The King but LeBron James has to settle for second place while Lionel Messi’s third place ensure the top-three is as you were last year.
Success at the Australian Open earlier this year bumps Roger Federer up to fourth most famous athlete in the world while, oddly, Phil Mickelson jumps eight places to round out the top-five.
However, despite five international games, there are only two American football players in the top-50 — Tom Brady (21) and Cam Newton (47) — as the NFL’s belief it is growing a global game is not reflected in the minds of sports fans.
In contrast, there are two cricketers in the top-15 — Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni — at 13 and 15 respectively sandwiching Ireland’s first entry on the list, Rory McIlroy.
Conor McGregor is at 35, up two places from last year.
Ronda Rousey is the first woman on the list at 16, while Serena Williams is also on the list at 19. All told there are only eight women in the top-100.
Great athlete and always was a great athlete round ball oval ball makes no different to her.
Keep her happy or she will walk out on here team like she did in Mayo
@DavidCarolan16: how selfish she was. She only gave 20 odd years unpaid to Mayo and numerous all Irelands before eventually walking out on Mayo in her late thirties. Very very selfish.
@DavidCarolan16: when a Cork hurler strikes, its Frank Murphy’s fault. When Limerick hurlers, who’d never won anything despite the support of one of Ireland’s richest men, strike, its their manager’s fault. But when the greatest footballer in the history of women’s sport in Ireland (along with a host of teammates) complains about the conditions, all her accomplishments are forgotten.
@Armchair Follower: she walked out because she was dropped that was the reason
@Kevin O Sullivan: because she was dropped yeah and all intercounty players are not paid .
@DavidCarolan16: she was dropped because she had the temerity to ask for better conditions for her team