As a passionate and knowledgeable football writer, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news about Kylian Mbappé’s global impact. According to a study conducted by OLBD, a UK-based sports betting community, the Parisian player ranks highly in the global list of most searched athletes on Google. The study covers the period from September 2022 to August 2023.
With an impressive 199.4 million searches over the year, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo takes the top spot. Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and his hefty salary of nearly 17 million euros per month sparked a surge of interest in the 38-year-old.
Following Ronaldo, two familiar PSG names appear. Neymar (140.9 million searches) and Lionel Messi (104.4 million). Neymar’s injury during the 2022 World Cup and subsequent departure from PSG, along with Messi’s World Cup win and move to Miami, generated widespread interest in both players.
Kylian Mbappé comes in at sixth place with 63.7 million searches. He’s edged out by basketball superstar LeBron James and India’s cricket sensation, Virât Kohli. India’s massive population explains Kohli’s high ranking.
Mbappé had a eventful year, including a memorable hat-trick in the World Cup final against Argentina (although it wasn’t enough) and controversy surrounding his exclusion from PSG’s preseason activities, fueling transfer rumors.
It’s worth noting that in France, the most searched athlete was not the national team captain, but Mbappé’s former PSG teammate, Neymar.
The worldwide fascination with these athletes demonstrates the global allure of football and the personalities within the sport. Mbappé’s presence in this ranking reflects his growing stature and influence, both on and off the pitch. As a football enthusiast, it’s a joy to see the sport’s stars capturing the world’s attention.
