jordans greatness cant be questioned, but he is pretty widely regarded as an assholeSome strange names on that list, guess it depends on what definition of "greatest" you're going for. In terms of not only being a dominate player but also just being an all around good person and carrying themselves like a professional, Michael Jordan would be my pick. Of course by my definition, half of the people on that list would be eliminated.
Ali was widely percieved to be an asshole too. Many still think that.jordans greatness cant be questioned, but he is pretty widely regarded as an asshole
Pretty sure at Barcelona Olympics in 92 the dream team were the main attraction. Not soccer.
I doubt the 92 Olympics was bigger than the World Cup around the same time before or after, dont remember.
true, he was definitely a controversial figure. but he was perceived as that by some for totally different reasons. people didnt like his religion, politics, social causes, etc. when you believe in causes like ali did, you cant avoid the haters. however, he still became the most recognizable and one of the most respected people on earth. jordan stood for zero causes. people thought he was an asshole just because he was an assholeAli was widely percieved to be an asshole too. Many still think that.
Well, Jordan was bigger than both by miles, so consider the controversy avoided.Again, Pele was and is definitely a bigger sports figure world wide than Ali.
Apparently you guys still don't get how popular football/soccer is outside of the USA.
You aren't serious?It's not like soccer is that grand in comparison on the global scale.
Funny that your source is an American sports network specialized on American sports.ESPN's #1 is Ronaldo, but right there at #2 is Lebron, ahead of Messi, and he's no Jack Kennedy:
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/worldfame100/espn-world-fame-100-top-ranking-athletes
Googling produces garbage sources like "Top End Sports". You're new. You'll learn.You aren't serious?
https://www.vox.com/2014/7/3/5868115/most-popular-sports-world-cup
http://www.totalsportek.com/most-popular-sports/
https://www.pledgesports.org/2017/06/10-most-popular-sports-in-the-world/
http://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/popular-sport/fans.htm
https://sporteology.com/top-10-popular-sports-world/
You only need to google it.
Funny that your source is an American sports network specialized on American sports.
Again,clearly you don't know how popular football is in Europe, Africa and South America and to some degree in Asia.
Yeah I'm new...look at my joining date. You on the other side sound like what we in Switzerland call "ein neunmalkluger"...but yeah, I'm sure you now better then everybody else.Googling produces garbage sources like "Top End Sports". You're new. You'll learn.
Nevertheless, even that source puts soccer at a sub-50% recognition level. Not that special in the context of American brand power as my evidence irrefutably demonstrates.
Jordan made $110m in endorsements in 2015, nearly twenty years after he retired, and it goes up each year, but you think the soccer star making 1/5th of that in the prime of his career somehow enjoys greater sprawl of recognition.Yeah I'm new...look at my joining date. You on the other side sound like what we in Switzerland call "ein neunmalkluger"...but yeah, I'm sure you now better then everybody else.
Fucking high horse you have there.Jordan made $110m in endorsements in 2015, nearly twenty years after he retired, and it goes up each year, but you think the soccer star making 1/5th of that in the prime of his career somehow enjoys greater sprawl of recognition.
We have all manner of playground words for that poverty of reason.
Fucking high horse you have there.
Typical American mentality...only money counts. If you are so smart like you think you are then you should know that before the 90's nobody in Sports was making the kind of money that they are doing today...specially in countries like Brazil where Pele played. But yeah the only guy who as ever won 3 World Cups in the most popular sport in the world is surely an unknown guy.
He was elected Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee but yeah he really is unknown because he didn't make as much money as Jordan.
I know a lot of people who buy Jordans without ever have watched a single NBA game...they buy it because of the brand and not because of the player itself.
Matthew Stafford was a few months ago the best paid player in the NFL...i'm sure he is much better than Manning, Montana, Marino, Brady, Young etc...
Fucking high horse you have there.