Who is the biggest global icon?

[Long John]

I live in LA and I know tons of people who know who Messi is and have no idea who Kobe is and vice versa. You're just simply not going to be more popular around the world than the guys who play the most popular sport in the world.
This thread alone shows how ignorant and arrogant some people are when it come to the rest of the world. A guy like Wayne Rooney is an icon in England, Spain has Iniesta who was crown best player in Europe not too long ago along with Ronaldo who destroyed La Liga as well Messi.
In Mexico not only is their soccer league more popular than the NBA but their baseball league as well, they got a ton of guys playing soccer in Europe and a ton of guys in the MLB and as you go down to South America you got the Brazilian league who is super popular with guys like Neymar from Brazil who is a heavy hitter in international soccer along with Uruguay who placed 4th in WC 2010 and Argentina with an all time soccer great in Messi.
Point is soccer in general is not as popular in the US but with the MLS growing and great international players coming to play in the US as of late soccer has great potential to attract more fans in the US but ultimately will always fall short vs Football, basketball and the MLB, that's jut the way it is.
But coming from a guy born and raised in the US, internationally soccer will always kick the crap out of any other sport.

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards [/quote]

You need to wake up from you fantasy world junior. There's a lot of hard working people who don't give a **** about pro sports. How dense are you? You really believe that every single person who lives in LA knows who Kobe just because he plays in LA? [/quote]

People who don't know **** about basketball know who Kobe is. Of course I don't speak for everybody. But "Bitch! you wasn't with me shooting in the gym!"

[Long John]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

Water is wet the sky is blue and Kobe is more of a global icon than Messi...see I can do the same thing you do lol people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon??? we can do this all day. The fact still remains, you will have your opinion and I will have mine. Kobe's haters will always hate, it isn't that tough trust me.

[Indy2thaWindy]

I think what Phil XI was trying to say is that the USA's 5% of the world's population should hold more weight than 5% just because it's the USA. That's so dumb.

[lazfa199]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

Water is wet the sky is blue and Kobe is more of a global icon than Messi...see I can do the same thing you do lol people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon??? we can do this all day. The fact still remains, you will have your opinion and I will have mine. Kobe's haters will always hate, it isn't that tough trust me.

[Mirjalovic]

It is true that some people (probably middle-aged and older) probably don't think of Cristiano Ronaldo when they hear "Ronaldo", but instead the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima.



One of the greatest strikers of all time, 2-time world cup winner, and all-time leading World Cup goalscorer. So there are two different Ronaldo legends that people may think of.

Yup, thats why i always call him "the original ronaldo"

he was such a phenomenon.

[Yuri Vaultin]

Water is wet the sky is blue and Kobe is more of a global icon than Messi...see I can do the same thing you do lol people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon??? we can do this all day. The fact still remains, you will have your opinion and I will have mine. Kobe's haters will always hate, it isn't that tough trust me.

95% of the world know Messi more so than Kobe.


I would also add that if Kobe is known outside of America it may be for all the wrong reasons. He may simply be more infamous than famous outside and even within the USA.

Have you ever travelled outside of the USA? Actually, have you ever travelled outside of your home? There is whole world out there filled with people who don't know who Babe Ruth is, don't know who Kobe is, and don't know who Payton Manning is. Do you understand that the NBA is primarily followed and supported by America. Hell, Yao Ming is more famous globally than Kobe.

[sonicFLAME6]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

Water is wet the sky is blue and Kobe is more of a global icon than Messi...see I can do the same thing you do lol people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon??? we can do this all day. The fact still remains, you will have your opinion and I will have mine. Kobe's haters will always hate, it isn't that tough trust me.

Wrong again kid. European clubs come all the time and play in the states and the games are always packed, east coast, West coast, you name it. I've been to a few in So Cal. The last international soccer game I went to in So Cal was sold out at 90,000+ attendance.
Point is, you're not qualified to comment on this subject. You don't know **** about soccer and like it was written above, 95% of the worlds population resides outside the US where soccer is more popular.

[Indy2thaWindy]

people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon???

Not one person in Mexico knows who Messi is? I bet more people in Mexico know who Messi is than people in the US know who Kobe is.

[Game Show]

Water is wet the sky is blue and Kobe is more of a global icon than Messi...see I can do the same thing you do lol people in north america don't know who messi is, how in the world is that a global icon??? we can do this all day. The fact still remains, you will have your opinion and I will have mine. Kobe's haters will always hate, it isn't that tough trust me.

Water is wet the sky is blue and USA is the only country in North America

[LLcoleJ]

I think what Phil XI was trying to say is that the USA's 5% of the world's population should hold more weight than 5% just because it's the USA. That's so dumb.

No that's really not. I just feel like the US is part of the global spectrum. This thread is not going to change that. Messi will still be popular around the world and most people in the US have no clue who he is.

I am not making any outrageous claims nor am I knocking anyones opinion on this topic. I don't live under a rock I am just offering my perspective on the topic.

If my vote doesn't matter than what's the point of a discussion?

[GrangerDanger]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

No he isn't. I posted undeniable proof. Here is some more. This is the first related video that pops up when you youtube Messi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3JrUU617gQ.
It has 70,000 views.
This is the first video that pops up when you youtube Kobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsaL_BDAeqA
It has over 1,200,000 views

If you live in America, ask your co-workers who Messi is. Most will ask who is she, or I've never heard of her. I know this is the Internet and hipsters want to act "cool and in the know" so you all are voting Messi. But stop for a minute and look around. Soccer is never on TV for a reason. Few people watch it.

[Indy2thaWindy]

The 1st related Paul George video on youtube has almost 5.2 million views and was uploaded 2 weeks ago. Not that it is any surprise tho. George > Kobe

[Realdeal_33]

The 1st related Paul George video on youtube has almost 5.2 million views and was uploaded 2 weeks ago. Not that it is any surprise tho. George > Kobe

Who's Paul George?

[GrangerDanger]

^^

Thank you, more proof. Messi isn't more known than Paul George, a role player on one of the least popular teams in the NBA. And Messis is supposed to be soccer's GOAT. Think about that for a second.

[Inigo_Montoya]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

No he isn't. I posted undeniable proof. Here is some more. This is the first related video that pops up when you youtube Messi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3JrUU617gQ.
It has 70,000 views.
This is the first video that pops up when you youtube Kobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsaL_BDAeqA
It has over 1,200,000 views

If you live in America, ask your co-workers who Messi is. Most will ask who is she, or I've never heard of her. I know this is the Internet and hipsters want to act "cool and in the know" so you all are voting Messi. But stop for a minute and look around. Soccer is never on TV for a reason. Few people watch it.

But what does that have to do with global popularity? This thread isn't "biggest global icon with a large United State following"
Most of the world's population can't access the internet, let alone youtube so those videos are meaningless.

[Mirjalovic]

^^

Thank you, more proof. Messi isn't more known than Paul George, a role player on one of the least popular teams in the NBA. And Messis is supposed to be soccer's GOAT. Think about that for a second.

so Paul George bigger global icon than Kobe ?

Yeah, right

[Yuri Vaultin]

Lol at this dude trying to tell me that people in LA don't know who Kobe is. See, this is why I like message boards

You're being an idiot. Please stop.

Messi is more known AROUND THE WORLD than Kobe. It's a fact. If you don't like it; tough. Water is wet, the sky is blue and Messi is more of a global icon than Kobe. <

To put things in perspective - the world`s population is around 7,039,000,000 while America`s population is around 314,347,000. So, 95% of the world`s people live outside of the USA. Soccer is by a huge margin the most popular sport on earth. Can you see how Messi and Ronaldo could easily be 1 and 2 on a true international list?

No he isn't. I posted undeniable proof. Here is some more. This is the first related video that pops up when you youtube Messi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3JrUU617gQ.
It has 70,000 views.
This is the first video that pops up when you youtube Kobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsaL_BDAeqA
It has over 1,200,000 views

If you live in America, ask your co-workers who Messi is. Most will ask who is she, or I've never heard of her. I know this is the Internet and hipsters want to act "cool and in the know" so you all are voting Messi. But stop for a minute and look around. Soccer is never on TV for a reason. Few people watch it.

Amazing... A USA based website has more hits on a Kobe video. Well, I'm sold.

[GrangerDanger]

Consider this your final warning.

Calling posters that disagree with you hipsters is not conducive to good discussion.

I was actually born in the UK, moved to Canada during my adolescence and have traveled extensively so I have a pretty good global perspective.

-Yuri

[Indy2thaWindy]

^^

Thank you, more proof. Kobe isn't more known than Paul George, a Beast on one of the beastest teams in the NBA. And Kobesupposed to be basketball's most overrated player. Think about that for a second.

The 1st related Paul George video on youtube has almost 5.2 million views and was uploaded 2 weeks ago. Not that it is any surprise tho. George > Kobe

Who's Paul George?

https://twitter.com/King24George

You personally need to apologize to him.

[sonicFLAME6]

Let's put this into perspective, the 2010 World Cup soccer final had about 700 million viewers while the last NBA finals averaged somewhere between 15-20 million per game and Kobe's 2010 finals also had about 18m per game.
Checkmate, soccer.