Who Beat Out LeBron for Most Famous Athlete

That would be Cristiano Ronaldo, per ESPN ranking
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 31, 2017 10:00 AM CDT
10 Most Famous Athletes in the World
Soccer stars Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo in Switzerland in 2016.   (Valeriano Di Domenico/Keystone via AP)

Tom Brady who? The all-star NFL quarterback might be a household name in the US, but he doesn't even make the top 20 of ESPN's list of the most famous athletes in the world, reports the Boston Herald. The 10 most well-known athletes, based on social media followers, endorsement money, and internet search popularity:

  1. Cristiano Ronaldo
  2. LeBron James
  3. Lionel Messi
  4. Roger Federer
  5. Phil Mickelson
  6. Neymar
  7. Usain Bolt
  8. Kevin Durant
  9. Rafael Nadal
  10. Tiger Woods
Click to see the highest-ranking female athlete or the best US cities for football fans. (More athletes stories.)

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