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re: Who's more famous at their peak Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi?
Posted on 7/17/26 at 10:35 am to Juan Betanzos
Posted on 7/17/26 at 10:35 am to Juan Betanzos
quote:
Those saying Messi…. Please reply and post your age. I guarantee most are of the recent generation.
Jordan legitimately started the worldwide interest in NBA basketball….
Messi didn’t even begin American interest in soccer
Age: 66
Question: Who's more famous at their peak Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi?
Within the US, Jordan is the obvious answer.
Worldwide - the answer is Lionel Messi and it is not even close.
Don't get me wrong. Jordan was incredibly well known worldwide at his peak due to the Olympics and his association with Nike and McDonalds.
But an argument could be made that Diego Maradona was equally as famous outside the US during that same period of time.
Some other guys who were enormously famous worldwide during my lifetime were Pele, Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods.
But none of those guys above had the benefit of social media that Messi has.
You have to take into account how much the standard of living has increased in China and India between the time Jordan was at his peak and now. Those two countries account for 2.5 billion people.
1
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:10 pm to chalmetteowl
quote:Of the US sure.
Jordan captured inner-city black youth. I don’t think Messi could
What about the inner city black youth in Paris? London? Barcelona? Lagos? São Paulo?
Jordan was a huge global superstar and still is, but the question is a global one and too many folks in this thread can’t remove their US-centric viewpoint.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:14 pm to Stinger_1066
I don't know why some folks in here have a hard time accepting Jordan didn't play in the social media age.
People wearing his shoes never watched him play. That's different than at his peak when some countries weren't even getting NBA games.
I guess all of those illegal streams in the 90s.
It's impossible because of the technology.
Kpop started in the 90s. I would have no idea what that is today without social media.
People wearing his shoes never watched him play. That's different than at his peak when some countries weren't even getting NBA games.
I guess all of those illegal streams in the 90s.
It's impossible because of the technology.
Kpop started in the 90s. I would have no idea what that is today without social media.
This post was edited on 7/17/26 at 1:22 pm
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:19 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Jordan was world wide famous without internet.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:31 pm to Napoleon
quote:Ok…. people keep writing it’s more impressive that he was so famous before the Internet and social media. But that’s not the question. The question was who was more popular at their peak worldwide and the answer is obviously Messi because we live in a more globally connected world with the Internet, Facebook, and sporting events that can be viewed all from over the world. That stuff did not exist when Jordan was winning championships in the 90s
Jordan was world wide famous without internet.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:53 pm to Napoleon
quote:
Jordan was world wide famous without internet.
Yes he was, which is a great credit to him.
But he was not globally famous because of his play in the NBA.
He was globally famous because people knew of him from the Olympics and the advertising that he did for Nike and McDonalds, which are global corporations.
The NBA was not broadcast all over the world back then. As someone noted before, even playoff games could be seen only late at night on tape delay, hours after the game had concluded and the result was known.
Messi's career is now on the decline, but he might actually be more popular than ever due to the World Cup being played in the US. He just attracted an even larger audience of casuals than he had before.
And despite what your co-workers want you to believe, the audience for soccer is in the US is larger right now than it has ever been.
This post was edited on 7/17/26 at 1:54 pm
Posted on 7/17/26 at 1:56 pm to Stinger_1066
Jordan
Since China prefers bball to futbal
Since China prefers bball to futbal
Posted on 7/17/26 at 2:17 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Messi.
I've heard of Messi, Diego Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo, Beckham, etc.
I've never given a shite about soccer, still don't. Most people in the US don't. But we still hear of the elite superstars. And the rest of the world DOES love it.
Now, if you want to say "in the US", then it's Jordan by far.
I've heard of Messi, Diego Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo, Beckham, etc.
I've never given a shite about soccer, still don't. Most people in the US don't. But we still hear of the elite superstars. And the rest of the world DOES love it.
Now, if you want to say "in the US", then it's Jordan by far.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 2:21 pm to FlyingTigerBo
The internet and social media would tip the scales in favor if Messi. These were not really a thing when Jordan when is his prime.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 2:22 pm to FlyingTigerBo
quote:
Who's more famous at their peak Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi?
Is there a ‘who cares’ option?
Posted on 7/17/26 at 2:36 pm to GoShoughYourself
quote:Yeah
Is there a ‘who cares’ option?
It's called "don't post a response"
Posted on 7/17/26 at 3:04 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Soccer bro? Lmfao
JORDAN is and always will be the answer, lol
JORDAN is and always will be the answer, lol
Posted on 7/17/26 at 3:05 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Worldwide
Messi
Messi
Posted on 7/17/26 at 3:16 pm to Blueghost1978
Here's the problem with your well thought out argument. Hardly anyone outside of the US knows or even cares about basketball. Every corner of every block around the world has a football pitch and all of those kids who play on said pitch want to be Ronaldo and Messi. I appreciate how phenomenal Jordan was but none of those kids want to be the next Jordan. He's a shoe to them.
ETA Jordan and Messi both did or do things that the sports have never seen. Messi just does it on a much bigger stage. Do yourself a favor and watch some Messi highlights. He's every bit the Jordan of soccer.
ETA Jordan and Messi both did or do things that the sports have never seen. Messi just does it on a much bigger stage. Do yourself a favor and watch some Messi highlights. He's every bit the Jordan of soccer.
This post was edited on 7/18/26 at 3:47 am
Posted on 7/17/26 at 3:28 pm to FlyingTigerBo
I am going to have to go with Jordan. He was a worldwide phenom before the internet. Before this world cup Messi could have knocked on my door and I would send him away thinking he was a solicitor.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 4:46 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Messi is the answer, but not sure why. He doesn’t even play a real sport.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 4:46 pm to 632627
quote:
This is a good conversation. I’d say Messi has pulled ahead since winning the World Cup in 2022 while still playing at a high level, whereas Ronaldo has fallen off a cliff in the past few years; Messi has certified himself as the goat and ended the debate as to who’s better.
I think the debate between who is better was settled well before Messi won the World Cup in 2022. As far as who’s more popular though, I still think it’s Ronaldo by a decent bit. He’s just more extroverted in general and is always open to give an interview or pitch a product. Messi is an introvert and rarely gives interviews, never speaks English in public, just a private dude in general.
Also, Messi has over 628M social media followers across all platforms, which is a crazy amount. Ronaldo has over a billion though
Posted on 7/17/26 at 6:30 pm to FlyingTigerBo
Random people aren’t out there wearing Messi’s…..
Posted on 7/17/26 at 6:31 pm to greek
quote:
Messi is the answer, but not sure why He doesn’t even play a real sport.
Posted on 7/17/26 at 11:42 pm to npt817
quote:
Random people aren’t out there wearing Messi’s…
Yes they are. He has a deal with Adidas for their signature shoe. Sells a shite ton.
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