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

[Mor'Fiyah]

That is true but this is a basketball forum. How do think it will pan out in a soccer forum. My point is we are all a part of this forum because we love baskeball American or Foreign

But I gather there are many poster who love basketball and love soccer/football. Some, like me, may even prefer football hands down any day of the week over basketball. But can still appreciate basketball. If anything it would make those posters more cognizant of Jordan's popularity in comparing it to Beckham's.

[Mor'Fiyah]

It's all foreign to me

I can tell you this. If we were to list the greatest soccer players in this era only... Beckham isn't even in the top ten.

[joshwake]

cuz the US is the only country in the world right?

Popularity is measured by how many people know who you are and what you do right? So it's Beckam and it is not even close. Ever heard of a couple countries called India and China? Yea, they have a few people that live in them

[LJJ]

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.

Spot on.

And popularity is not measured by how many people know you, but by how many people like you. Hitler isn't popular.