Simone Biles named world’s most marketable athlete for second time

Biles becomes first female athlete in 50MM history to take top spot twice
Vinicius Junior, LeBron James, Caitlin Clark and Lionel Messi complete top five
Top ten has 50-50 gender split
US gymnastics icon Simone Biles has been named as the world’s most marketable athlete for 2024.

The most decorated gymnast in history leaps back to the top of the rankings in SportsPro’s annual list of the world’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes (50MM) for a second time, having last been named number one in 2021.

It means Biles becomes only the third athlete in 50MM history to take top spot on two occasions, joining soccer stars Lionel Messi and Neymar, and is the first woman to do so.

Behind Biles in second place is Brazilian soccer star Vinicius Junior, who placed just ahead of LeBron James after the basketball legend dropped one place from the 2023 standings. Caitlin Clark debuts on the list at number four, marking the latest achievement in a stellar year for the Indiana Fever sensation. Last year’s number one Lionel Messi slips to fifth.

50MM 2024 features 28 male athletes and 22 female athletes, with the top ten having a 50-50 gender split. 17-year-old Spanish soccer wonderkid Lamine Yamal’s first entry on the list makes him the most marketable teenager at number 41. At 39 years old, LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lewis Hamilton are the oldest in the top 50.

Soccer and basketball are way out in front in terms of athlete representation, with 15 and 11 apiece, while rugby returns to the rankings thanks to US Olympian Ilona Maher’s placing at number eight. Athletes from the National Football League (NFL), cricket, swimming, tennis, alpine skiing, track and field are also represented this year.

All told, athletes from 18 countries feature on the list, with the US accounting for 42 per cent and 21 of the top 50 having competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With six players featuring in the list, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has more athletes in this year’s lineup than any other league.

Last year’s number four Giannis Antetokounmpo falls out of the top 50, as do the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Alphonso Davies and Emma Raducanu.