ESPN The Magazine ranks the world's most beloved athletes using a proprietary formula. The Sports Analytics department of ESPN ranked 800 athletes based upon three factors that impact fame: Google trends score, endorsement dollars, and social media following. Peter Keating, senior writer for the magazine, discusses why fame is not synonymous with success or being liked. This list of the 100 most successful athletes worldwide will help you make an educated decision about your favorite sportsman.
Canelo
Saul "Canelo” Alvarez is one of the most highly-paid athletes in the globe. DAZN offered him a five-year, $365 Million contract. His contract was the longest in sports history. Alvarez is 28 years old and has won five championships, three by knockout. He's also the highest-paid Mexican athlete and won the WBA regular super middleweight title.
Ledecky
The American swimmer, Katie Ledecky, has set the gold standard for female swimming and is arguably the best female athlete of all time. Ledecky has competed on the global stage almost a decade and won a record 15 golds medals. In addition to her Olympic golds, Ledecky holds five world records and has won five World Championships. She is also an Olympic gold-medallist and will compete in Tokyo 2020 Games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpe is a famous basketball player. He also founded a basketball school in Athens (Greece), where he teaches. AntetokounBros Academy was created to encourage basketball among children with limited opportunities. The program targets boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 16, as well as young athletes who are interested in becoming coaches.
Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe, a well-known athlete in the world, is not just for her remarkable sporting career. She is well-known for her activism and fight for equality pay and racial injustice. Rapinoe has been featured in several articles about her activism, including a recent article in The New York Times on the impact of The CARES Act. Below are just some of her achievements for 2019.
Biles
Simone Biles, after taking a break from the sport following the Olympics, was back in the spotlight in 2018. Her competitive rivals were removed and she sought out new coaches Laurent Landi, and Cecile Ländi to help her. Although it is not yet known how her new relationship will turn out, it's exciting to watch her grow. Biles also revealed that she'll be working with former UCLA coach Val Kondos Field as executive producer and supervising choreographer. Biles will also use video screens, pyrotechnics and an in-house DJ.