Last Updated on 1 year by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Top 10 most popular athletes 2023: Virat Kohli in the list | Which cricketer is the most popular in the world?
There are great sportspeople and then there are athletes whose name and aura transcends across arenas. Sportshubnet recently documented the ten most popular athletes of 2023. They regarded the number of social media followers that these players have garnered across their various social media handles as an important metric whilst zeroing upon these 10 names.
Most popular athletes in the world 2023
CricBlog takes a look at those players in this article.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo claims the top spot in these standings despite his recent transfer to Al-Nassr FC in the rather low-profile Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo has mastered multiple top-tier leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A in Europe. He has won six Champions League titles and his popularity does not seem to be dying anytime soon.
2. Lionel Messi
Ronaldo’s Argentine counterpart Lionel Messi sits in the second spot. Widely regarded as arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Messi finally conquered the final bastion by lifting the FIFA World Cup for his country in Qatar in December 2022.
3. Neymar Jr.
Paris Saint Germain’s (PSG) superstar from Brazil, Neymar Jr. has arguably underwent a blip in his career since moving to France but that has not deterred his popularity one bit. Blessed with good looks and an overall charming personality, Neymar continues to enthral the audience whenever he steps foot on the field.
4. Lebron James
Chasing his fifth National Basketball Association (NBA) title this year, Lebron James’ popularity has remained intact and in fact even grown by leaps and bounds in his 20th season in professional basketball. Representing the Los Angeles Lakers, James has freshly returned from an injury setback and his mass appeal will only increase by manifold if he manages to equal Kobe Bryant’s record of five NBA titles this season.
5. Virat Kohli
Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli is the only cricketer amongst the top 10 names in this list. Kohli is by far the biggest brand in world cricket right now and his cricketing credentials only add to the wide follower base that he has garnered across multiple social media platforms.
6. Conor McGregor
Irish mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor is placed just below Kohli at the number sixth spot. McGregor was named the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2021 and he has 22 recorded 22 wins in 28 MMA fights. The 34-year-old even held the UFC championship title in two separate weight categories simultaneously at one point in time.
7. Roger Federer
Swiss legend Roger Federer hung his boots from professional tennis late last year but he still continues to be amongst the topmost famous athletes in the world. Federer won 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles as he reached and remained in the topmost echelons of the sport for nearly two decades.
8. Rafael Nadal
Though Federer has retired from professional tennis, his arch-rival and Spanish counterpart Rafael Nadal still continues to go strong in the circuit. The 36-year-old has 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles under his belt and he definitely looks to be in good touch to add more to that tally going ahead, particularly in the French Open.
9. John Cena
John Cena, the wrester with 16 world championship reigns in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), comes up in the penultimate spot in these rankings. Cena has multiple accolades to his name in addition to having won the famed Royal Rumble twice as well. He is popular amongst the WWE fans for his sheer strength and the entertainment that he brought to the ring with him.
10. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, rounds off this listicle. An 82-time PGA Tour winner, Woods has undoubtedly been one of the most renowned sportspersons of the 21st century. He has constantly been in the news for both his on-field exploits and off-filed antics but that seems to have only helped his appeal amongst the people grow over the years.
