Who is the biggest global icon?

Inigo_Montoya · Post #221 » by **Inigo_Montoya** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:10 pm

That google test ignores the 2/3 of the world without easy access to the internet...

Brovva Blaqq · Post #222 » by **Brovva Blaqq** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:12 pm

GrangerDanger wrote:Google Leonardo Messi. you get 9,650,000 hits. pretty good

inquisitive · Post #223 » by **inquisitive** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:13 pm

keep in mind that there are google versions also for many different countries....more chinese use baidu than google from what i read a year ago..

SichtingLives · Post #224 » by **SichtingLives** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:17 pm

Anyone who is a complete nobody in the US is simply not a global icon. For that matter, popular =/= icon. An icon is someone who has transformed into a brand, an individual who completely transcends their sport, not someone who is simply very good at their sport or popular amongst those fans.

Rip Mammoth Ton · Post #225 » by **Rip Mammoth Ton** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:28 pm

This thread isn't really about sports if Beckham can still be considered above some of the names mentioned even in Football. He was never the best player on any of the domestic teams he played on (even United fans would the likes of Scholes over him) didn't achieve anything with England, and if you were to make a list of the best players of the last twenty years, on talent alone, he likely wouldn't make the cut.

I suppose by the same token, if Tiger looked like Tom Daly, his name wouldn't be in this poll either. The marketing guys are winning this thread.

bigbreakfast · Post #226 » by **bigbreakfast** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:31 pm

i think its hilarious the ppl who have lived in different regions/countries of the world all pretty much pick messi, but the posters who undoubtedly have only lived in the US pick someone else.......

realfung · Post #227 » by **realfung** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:34 pm

Kobe, Bron and Jeremy Lin.

realfung · Post #228 » by **realfung** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:34 pm

Kobe, Bron and Jeremy Lin.

H-town · Post #229 » by **H-town** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:38 pm

GrangerDanger wrote:How is Messi winning? Let's do a quick test

Google Leonardo Messi. you get 9,650,000 hits. pretty good

Google Kobe Bryant. you get 74,800,000 hits. not close

Google Tim Tebow (a backup QB on a mediocore NFL team). you get 44,100,000 hits. not close

Google Mike Trout (rookie MLB player on an expansion team). you get 14,700,000 hits. kind of close

So scrubs in the NFL and MLB are more well known than the most popular soccer player in the world. Don't let your love of soccer cloud your judgement. NBA, NFL, and MLB stars are far more known around the world

american bubble :lol:

lazfa199 · Post #230 » by **lazfa199** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:39 pm

H-town wrote:
GrangerDanger wrote:How is Messi winning? Let's do a quick test

Google Leonardo Messi. you get 9,650,000 hits. pretty good

Google Kobe Bryant. you get 74,800,000 hits. not close

Google Tim Tebow (a backup QB on a mediocore NFL team). you get 44,100,000 hits. not close

Google Mike Trout (rookie MLB player on an expansion team). you get 14,700,000 hits. kind of close

So scrubs in the NFL and MLB are more well known than the most popular soccer player in the world. Don't let your love of soccer cloud your judgement. NBA, NFL, and MLB stars are far more known around the world

american bubble

albo23 · Post #231 » by **albo23** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:50 pm

Mac1 wrote:i live in Dubai. I also travel the world often . I was around during jordans peak in popularity. Let me tell you all something. I love soccer and basketball. I don't consider myself a homer to any athlete..but from what i've seen. Messi when its all said and done will surpass michael jordan as the greatest icon in sports. In the middle east foe example i can't remember 1 time where I've not driven by people with messi shirts on. I was in bahrain last week and it was the same..oman the week before and it was the same.

he is bigger right now then jordan was in 1993 globally. ( trust me...i was there)

he is probably the best player I've ever seen. Surpasses maradona for sure and i never rated pele. He has taken goalscoring to a whole new level..

if you were to find an equilevent in the nba..kevin durant would need to average 40 ppg.

Amen. Dubai is beautiful by the way, I had a meeting with Dubaiotech and they shuttled us from their HQ to have a meeting in the Burj Khalifa instead.

reignfire wrote:http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/dec/06/football-brand-globalisation-china-basketball

China is crazy about Basketball, dude.

And people saying you gotta be big in America to be big isn't narcissistic. Am I pro-water or water biased if I say everyone needs to drink water to survive? You can hate America or love America, but a fact is a fact. Anyone who is big in America is already a global icon because America's cultural influence and far and wide.

Basketball is a sport on rise, while Football is a sport in decline. This means the best and most well known Basketball players are going to be on center stage.

Also, any sport that China chooses to be its main sport WILL be the biggest sport in the 21st century. You can hate that fact, but it's still a fact.

I feel like I am wasting my time with people like this. I have visited and I've done business there. I am more familiar with the culture, more than just Beijing and HK where I'm sure Julian Borger was limited to.

JF5 · Post #232 » by **JF5** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 8:57 pm

Messi/Usian Bolt....

Guys are just icons....

MrHidden · Post #233 » by **MrHidden** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:09 pm

JUST STOP with this messi crap
he is better soccer player, but ronaldo is much more popular, cause every woman know and like ronaldo, every soccer metrosexual like ronaldo

and bla bla bla ....

BTW : http://www.facebook.com/Cristiano << 48m fans
http://www.facebook.com/LeoMessi << 38m fans
http://www.facebook.com/Beckham << 20m fans

bballjunkie281 · Post #234 » by **bballjunkie281** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:10 pm

GrangerDanger wrote:How is Messi winning? Let's do a quick test

Google Leonardo Messi. you get 9,650,000 hits. pretty good

Google Kobe Bryant. you get 74,800,000 hits. not close

Google Tim Tebow (a backup QB on a mediocore NFL team). you get 44,100,000 hits. not close

Google Mike Trout (rookie MLB player on an expansion team). you get 14,700,000 hits. kind of close

So scrubs in the NFL and MLB are more well known than the most popular soccer player in the world. Don't let your love of soccer cloud your judgement. NBA, NFL, and MLB stars are far more known around the world

What do you get when you google Kobunardo Bryant?

kasino · Post #235 » by **kasino** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:13 pm

Kaka??
10 million tweeter followers, only 9 people got that many

its really Tiger Woods

WhateverBro · Post #236 » by **WhateverBro** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:19 pm

Mac1 wrote:i live in Dubai. I also travel the world often . I was around during jordans peak in popularity. Let me tell you all something. I love soccer and basketball. I don't consider myself a homer to any athlete..but from what i've seen. Messi when its all said and done will surpass michael jordan as the greatest icon in sports. In the middle east foe example i can't remember 1 time where I've not driven by people with messi shirts on. I was in bahrain last week and it was the same..oman the week before and it was the same.

he is bigger right now then jordan was in 1993 globally. ( trust me...i was there)

he is probably the best player I've ever seen. Surpasses maradona for sure and i never rated pele. He has taken goalscoring to a whole new level..

if you were to find an equilevent in the nba..kevin durant would need to average 40 ppg.

Yeah, he would probably have to avarage a bit over 40 ppg, while winning the last four or so MVPs and winning multiple championships. The fact that Messi has, at 25 years, won the league 5 times, spanish cup 2 times and champions league 3!!! times. Not to mention the U-20 world cup gold and an olympic gold medal. And his three Ballon d'Ors in a row.. which will probably be four in a row in a month is absolutely breathtaking.

If he continues in this pace for just a couple of years, he'll be the greatest player of all sports, bar none.

Don Draper · Post #237 » by **Don Draper** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 10:42 pm

Leonardo Messi. lol

Btw if you google "Messi" you get 236 million hits. If you google "Kobe" you get 158 million.

cantervil · Post #238 » by **cantervil** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 11:14 pm

I would put Ronaldo ahead of Messi because the Premier League has always exploited markets outside of Europe much better than La Liga. And lets say it this way, he is more charismatic than Messi. ( I hate CR7 btw)

I know all of the people in the list, but the 99 % here (Spain) wouldnt know Mayweather and Pacquiao.I guess Lebron and Kobe are generally known bc of the Olympics games against Spain.

At the end of the day, at least here, people like sports where there are great Spanish athletes. They would know them and their rivals. Football, basketball, tennis, F1 ,... Although football is in another level, even before we were succesful.

Bolt has also made a great impact bc of his records and charisma.

Cool_Dude · Post #239 » by **Cool_Dude** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 11:17 pm

Cleveland Cavs wrote:
Rhyno wrote:Out of the people on that list--it's Kobe Bean Bryant, and it isn't even close. His name has been relevant for over ten years, far more than Messi and Ronaldo. Bryant is a worldwide figure. James is slowly getting there, and after a few more championships he will be--but in this case it's Bryant, hands down.

To me its Messi, and its not even close.. the best player and arguably the greatest of all time in the biggest sport in the world.

Pele, my friend, is the Jordan of soccer. Not to mention the guy actually won world cups. Messi is the lebron of soccer, before lebron won his first title. Messi hasn't proved squat on the World Cup stage. Not to mention that it's the genius playmaking of Xavi and Iniesta that largely attributes to Messi's success.

Mac1 · Post #240 » by **Mac1** » Sun Sep 9, 2012 11:54 pm

Cool_Dude wrote:
Cleveland Cavs wrote:
Rhyno wrote:Out of the people on that list--it's Kobe Bean Bryant, and it isn't even close. His name has been relevant for over ten years, far more than Messi and Ronaldo. Bryant is a worldwide figure. James is slowly getting there, and after a few more championships he will be--but in this case it's Bryant, hands down.

To me its Messi, and its not even close.. the best player and arguably the greatest of all time in the biggest sport in the world.

Pele, my friend, is the Jordan of soccer. Not to mention the guy actually won world cups. Messi is the lebron of soccer, before lebron won his first title. Messi hasn't proved squat on the World Cup stage. Not to mention that it's the genius playmaking of Xavi and Iniesta that largely attributes to Messi's success.

not true. Soccer is different to basketball. Peles brazil teams which won could have won without him. Just by the eye test messi is miles more talented. The requirements are different.IN basketball you have 5 starters and a bench on a small court..in soccer you have 11 a side on a huge pitch. The team needs to be great.

messi isn't the lebron..lebron wasn't in my view more talented then jordan..but messi **** all over pele who wasn't even the best brazilian player of his generation..that was garrincha..whom intact won him one of his world cups while he was injured and didn't play..

Messis talent and sensational goals have overshadowed peles world cup success..hes simply a better player.