ESPN The Magazine ranks the world's most beloved athletes using a proprietary formula. The Sports Analytics team from the company ranked 800 athletes on the basis of three factors that have an impact on fame: Google trend score and endorsement dollars. Peter Keating, senior journalist for the magazine explores why fame doesn't always mean success or popularity. A look at the top 100 athletes in the world can help you make an informed decision about your favorite athlete.
Canelo
Saul "Canelo” Alvarez is a top-paid athlete in the world. Last year, he signed a five-year, $365 million deal with DAZN. His deal was the largest ever signed in sports history. Alvarez, a 28-year-old Mexican athlete, has won five titles, and three by knockout. He's also the highest-paid Mexican athlete and won the WBA regular super middleweight title.
Ledecky
American swimmer Katie Ledecky set the gold standard for female swimming, and is widely considered to be the greatest female swimmer of all time. For almost a decade she has been competing on the international stage, winning an unprecedented 15 gold medals. In addition to her Olympic golds, Ledecky holds five world records and has won five World Championships. She will be competing in the Tokyo 2020 Games as an Olympic gold medalist.
Giannis Anetokounmpo
Giannis Antotounmpe was a popular basketball player in 2019, according to Forbes. He has also established a basketball academy in Athens. AntetokounBros' academy was started to teach basketball to children from low income families. This program is for boys and girls aged 12-16 years old, as well as young athletes interested in coaching.
Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoe has been a star athlete all over the world. She is also known for her activism in the fight for equal compensation and racial equity. Rapinoe has been the topic of many articles, including one in The New York Times that examined the impact on the CARES Act. The following are just a few of her accomplishments in 2019.
Biles
Simone Biles, after taking a break from the sport following the Olympics, was back in the spotlight in 2018. In order to keep the spotlight on her, she enlisted new coaches Laurent and Cecile Landi and removed her competitive rivals. It is unknown what her new relationship with Cecile Landi will look like but it is exciting to watch her progress. Biles revealed that she will be working as an executive producer and choreographer with Val Kondos Field, a former UCLA coach. She will also be using video screens and pyrotechnics as well as an in-house DJ.