Most popular athlete IN THE WORLD ever to wear no. 23: Jordan or Beckham?

Even the brits know who Jordan is and knowing 100s of them only one of them even followes basketball. And Becks picking 23 (I didn't even know he was wearing that # cause nobody outside of the US or UK cares about him anymore) was definately a marketing decision.

Jordan by a mile.

MJ by numerous miles

[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]When I really think about it...is Jordan more famous in his time than Joe Louis in his? In America that is. technology gives more worldwide access to modern guys but hearing about Joe makes me think he may have been bigger here. As popular as Jordan was you wont have damn near all of america sit down to watch/listen(as the case may be at the time) to his games. I dont think anyone modern can approach the level of interest over the Joe Louis/Max Schmeling fight. Hearing about the level of interest....entire towns meeting in one place with dozens of radios so everyone could hear? Nationwide parties after Joe won? Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, and guys like that were probably as big as Jordan for the people who had access to them.[/QUOTE]
Good observation and your right. Joe Luis was huge in his time especially the Schmeling bout. That was like the USA vs. The Evil Nazi Empire. There was a ton of emotion whenever they met.

Beckam isn't even the current most popular soccer player. You'd have to be one of the most popular of all time to be more popular than Jordan. Well, at least Beckam ins't the most popular everywhere except the US.

I didn't know the question of the thread was who was more popular. That answer would be Jordan but to answer the question who is more popular for wearing number 23 the answer has to be Jordan again. I have to admit Beckham is very popular world wide but Jordan is the Pele of baketball for all you soccer fans.

[QUOTE=Fedor - Laker]Michael Jordan is almost as iconic as Michael Jackson.

I bet more people in Europe know who Jordan is than Becham.

Also, take into account people in China, Korea, Japan, Russia, who do you think they recognize more?[/QUOTE]


Have you ever been to these countires? There are more soccer fields than basketball courts by a LOOOONGSHOT. Plus have you taken into account continents such as South America, Africa, Australia... Soccer is a much more known sport.

I think you guys are misreading the OP. The question wasn't who's better at their perspective sports. Jordan being better at basketball compared to Beckham at soccer is IRRELEVANT. It's about who's more known.

[QUOTE=adiedanny]I didn't know the question of the thread was who was more popular. That answer would be Jordan but to answer the question who is more popular for wearing number 23 the answer has to be Jordan again. I have to admit Beckham is very popular world wide but Jordan is the Pele of baketball for all you soccer fans.[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying Pele is more popular than Jordan but he is a legend and in his time he was huge. Due to marketing Jordan is probably more popular than Pele but then again I live in the U.S. so this is just my american observation and opinion.

Gotta be Beckham! Soccer is a bigger sport than basketball around the world.

Beckham.

Jordan is way way way more well known in The U.S.A.

But in the world,famous soccer player>famous basketball player.

I'm going to get a foreign opinion. My brother-in-law from Argentina who is 6'4" and does not know anyhting about basketball and loves soccer.

i'm from Europe and it's not even close.
Jordan by something like a million miles.
even Europeans who don't even know what bball is know about MJ.
he's probably the best known sporstsman around the world.

[QUOTE=adiedanny]I'm going to get a foreign opinion. My brother-in-law from Argentina who is 6'4" and does not know anyhting about basketball and loves soccer.[/QUOTE]
He said Beckham big time. He is more popular than Pele. He did say Jordan id known in Argentina but he is not as popular than Beckham. I imagine this probably would apply the same to other soccer ruled countries which probably out number basketball countries.

[QUOTE=Doko]i'm from Europe and it's not even close.
Jordan by something like a million miles.
even Europeans who don't even know what bball is know about MJ.
he's probably the best known sporstsman around the world.[/QUOTE]
Wow! That is interesting. I guess this is really harder than first expected.

No need. We have plenty foreign opinions right here. I am one of them:

While the superior popularity of soccer over basketball gives Beckham a huge leg up on Jordan, this is more than tempered by the fact that Beckham isn't considered world class by the soccer purist. Beckham is a fashionista athlete. And athlete known more for his exploits, behaviour, looks, and fashion sense OFF the field than his skill on it. Beckham is Anna Kournikova to the nth degree before Anna Kournikova was Anna Kournikova. If the question is who is more a household name... its likely a tie. They are both household names that just about everyone in the world knows. If the question is who is more popularly known for excellence in their sport (which is what the question would seem to generally imply), the answer is Michael Jordan. Easy.

[QUOTE=adiedanny]He said Beckham big time. He is more popular than Pele. He did say Jordan id known in Argentina but he is not as popular than Beckham. I imagine this probably would apply the same to other soccer ruled countries which probably out number basketball countries.[/QUOTE]

Ah. But popular for what? Soccer? Or being a gay/fashion icon?