When looking for the biggest sports stars in the world, you have to consider their appeal around the globe. For someone to have an appeal to people outside of their own sport, they really have to be special.
The two players below both can be described as special. They are both incredibly successful in their sport but what separates them from many of their peers is the ability to attract the attention of the casual sports fan.
Here are the two biggest sports stars in the world today and why they merit having that label.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The debate in soccer about who is the best player in the world has been rumbling for many years. Depending on who you speak to, some will say Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, while others will claim it is Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
“Cristiano Ronaldo y Linier” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Jan S0L0
It has been difficult to find a conclusion to that debate because both players have been setting incredible records in the sport and are very different in their playing style.
This season alone, though, Ronaldo has taken his game to a new level which may help settling the debate. This is his sixth consecutive season that he has scored 30 La Liga goals or more. He has carried Real to the semi-final of the Champions League where they will face Manchester City and kept them in contention for the league championship.
This summer is huge for Ronaldo as he will lead his country, Portugal, to Euro 2016. The Real forward will be integral for the Portuguese if they are going to have success at the tournament. With Ronaldo in the best form of his career, many people think that Portugal could be a good gamble at the time of writing at 14-1 in the Paddy Power Euro 2016 betting. This is because, unlike some of the best players in soccer, Ronaldo always transfers his club form to the international stage.
Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry is some way short in structure in comparison to some of the biggest stars the game of basketball has ever seen. When stood next to Lebron James, he is almost dwarfed by the Cleveland Cavaliers forward.
However, although Curry may not look like your conventional basketball player, in the last few years he has become the best player in NBA today and he is now recognised as one of the biggest sports stars around the world.
“P1000259” (CC BY 2.0) by HeelSports
Last year he led the Warriors to their fourth NBA Championship in history and in doing so he was named the Most Valuable Player.
Curry has taken shooting to a new level in the NBA. His strike rate from the three-point range is better than anyone who has played the game. He first broke the record in the league with 272 three-pointers in a season in the 2012-13 campaign. He bettered that in the 2014-15 campaign with 286, while in 2015-16 he made an incredible 402 three-pointers as he took his game to a whole new level.
The appeal of Curry is so big that thousands of fans arrive at the arena early to make sure they watch the 28-year-old warm up before his game. If he carries on breaking records, he could finish his career as the best to ever play the sport.
