Lionel Messi has another outstanding event to his legendry career as he was crowned as the most influential athlete of the 21st century in a new international ranking published by Le Journal de Quebec. In the list, the Argentine superstar is ranked above Cristiano Ronaldo and some of the most legendary names in the world of sport.
The ranking emphasizes the outstanding influence, stability, and success in over twenty years of Messi. Since conquering European football, winning Argentina the World Cup, and bringing major league soccer to Inter Miami, there is much more to Messi, and it is not on the score.
American football player Tom Brady was ranked second, which is a sign of his superiority in NFL and seven Super Bowl titles. In the third position came swimming star Michael Phelps, who has been hailed as the most medalled Olympian of all time.
Grand methods of Serena Williams, who redefined the sport of tennis among women, sprinting superstar Usain Bolt, NBA superstar LeBron James, tennis phenomenon Novak Djokovic, gymnastics sensation Simone Biles, and late basketball star Kobe Bryant are also on the top ten list.
The fact that Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked ten was a shock to most fans. Ronaldo came second after basketball, gymnastics, and tennis players, even though he is one of the most successful and marketable players in football. The fact that he has been placed is an indication that influence is being quantified on various aspects that are not limited to performance.
The list is a broad one, and it acknowledges the internal transformation of the sports in terms of the world. Competing with Formula One stars like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, to emerging world sensation like Shohei Ohtani, the ranking portrays a wide meaning of sporting influence.
The fact that Messi is ranked the greatest football player supports his status not only as a football icon, but also as a sports icon in the contemporary world.
