re: In what sport would you want to be the GOAT?

I think you underestimate the populations of asia and north america compared to Europe and South America

Basketball is more popular in NA and Asia, and still very popular in Europe. You're assuming that because soccer is a global sport that Messi and Ronaldo are more recognizable to a larger population. China and America are two of the three most populated countries on the planet, and lebron is 10x more recognizable than any soccer player in those markets.

Soccer is a global game, yes. So is basketball. Basketball is just more popular in the most populous countries. Not to mention Asians crave american media, not Spanish media.

If you polled a village in the Uruguayan countryside, yes Messi would be more recognizable. If you polled an outpost in Luxembourg, yes Ronaldo would be more recognizable. If you showed everyone on the planet a picture of Lebron and a picture of Messi, more people would recognize Lebron. Don't be a dumbass. Maybe 5% of Americans would recognize Messi if we're being generous.

More people live in the US than England, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and Portugal combined. That's not even factoring in China.

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You're limiting yourself to America. A lot of the American guys are popular because of branding (along with being the GOAT at an American sport). They still, IMO, wouldn't touch (on a global scale) a Ronaldo or Messi. Some of you have a very contracted view on how big these guys actually are.

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I"m a huge soccer fan. I'm aware of who Ronaldo and Messi are and how big they are.
They play basketball in Brazil and Argentina. They know who Kobe and Lebron are. China isn't a big soccer country, but they are a big country, and they all know Kobe and Lebron. That is the only reason i say Kobe/Lebron might be bigger.
Mexico is close enough to us that most of them probably know or have heard of Kobe before.
Most people in Europe that follow sports knows Kobe as well. He grew up there, goes to soccer games there. They know him.

Basketball is known in most countries in the world. If you know only 1 thing about basketball, you know MJ/Kobe/Lebron. Just like if you know one thing about soccer, you know Ronaldo/Messi. Look at the Olympics and how the US basketball team has to be escorted everywhere and stay off the grounds b/c of how popular they are.

Regardless of any of what i just said, if you follow sports in the casualist of ways, you've probably heard of Kobe/Lebron/Ronaldo/Messi in most places on this Earth.

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I disagree. Tiger is more famous worldwide than either Messi or Ronaldo

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no chance of this either.

do you think little african kids are going to know or give a damn about who an american golfer is?

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well you're delusional. Lebron is a global brand because basketball is also a global sport. Messi is a global brand that the majority of the residents in the 3 most populous countries on the planet have never heard of

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this
China - big advantage Kobe/Lebron
India - neither
US - big advantage Kobe/Lebron
Brazil - Ronaldo/Messi, but not by much. Lebron has been in Brazil a lot recently, plus he plays with their biggest basketball star, Varejao.
Indonesia - neither


The markets that Ronaldo/Messi dominate in, Kobe/Lebron aren't far behind them in at minimum people knowing who they are. Same can't be said for US/China.

They love cricket

football because its my favorite sport. I also think being the GOAT trainer or owner in horse racing would be fun. Also hw champ, a champ like iron mike who is knocking people out left and right would be awesome.

Soccer. You'll be a God worldwide.

I think people are somewhat overstating golf simply because of how polarizing Tiger is. He's so far the extreme that it's hard to compare him to anyone else, and I think it's more than just his success. It's his name, the fact that he's a minirity, he's jacked, etc.

Personally give me tennis. Tennis has the global reach of golf but it plays better with the young international chicks. I'm also in indescribably good shape and fit as a mother fvcker if I'm the GOAT tennis player.

Golf.

Individual sport/game so nobody can say "you were on a loaded team". Also, you play everyone(technically). No schedule thread needed.