This Sunday, a survey was released by Odoxa on behalf of Winamax and RTL to measure the popularity of French athletes. Last year at this time, given his performances a few months earlier at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Léon Marchand stole the show from the other French athletes. A takeover confirmed in 2026.
The Toulouse swimmer remains the favorite sportsman of the French with 47% of quotes to his credit – an equal rate of popularity among declared sports fans. Teddy Riner (34%) and Antoine Dupont (33%) complete the general podium. These last two pillars reverse their position among informed observers: 41% for the rugby player; 36% for judoka.
Kylian Mbappé, a national icon in decline in recent years, finished at the foot of the podium in both categories, favored by 28% by sports fans – 23% by all those surveyed. Note the breakthrough of Victor Wembanyama, the NBA star cited in 22% of cases among athletes – 16% in total. The only sportswomen appearing in the Top 10 being embodied by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (16%) and Clarisse Agbegnenou (10%).
