Top 10 most searched athletes on Google in 2024

A boxer, who courted controversy at the Paris Olympics 2024, occupies the top of the list.

Google recently published the list of top 10 athletes, based on their search popularity. There were a number of surprise entries as well as some notable absentees in the list. Interestingly, the chart in general shows allegiance to the younger generation, with legends from sports such as cricket and football absent.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 but had to counter allegations regarding her gender, occupies the top of the list. A number of Spanish footballers have also made their way into the chart. Two Indian cricketers—Hardik Pandya and Shashank Singh too were popularly searched on Google around the globe.

On that note, let us have a look at the top 10 most searched athletes on Google in the year 2024.

Most searched athletes on Google in 2024

10: Rodri

Spanish defensive midfielder Rodri is present at 10th place in the list. He played a crucial role in his Spain’s title winning campaign at the UEFA European Championships 2024. The footballer from Madrid was, in fact, named as the Player of the Tournament. However, his season was cut short in September, when he ruptured the ACL in his right knee while playing for Manchester City, against Arsenal and had to undergo surgery.

9: Shashank Singh

At the IPL 2024 auctions, Punjab Kings had allegedly purchased Shashank Singh as a result of mistaken identity. There couldn’t have been a bigger blessing in disguise, as he scored 354 runs at a whopping strike rate of 164.65.

The 33-year-old was one of the key components of a batting order, which was shaky at the top, necessitating the need for someone who could guide the team through the middle overs. The team recognized the value of the uncapped lad from Chhattisgarh and retained him prior to the auctions for the upcoming season.

Also Read: IPL 2025 retentions: Top 7 players to receive biggest hike in IPL salary

8: Scottie Scheffler

American golfer Scottie Scheffler, who has held the position of World Number #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for over a week, had a historic nine-win season, eclipsing the likes of Tiger Woods. He also clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, in a sensational manner. After being six strokes behind the lead after the front nine, the 28-year-old made six birdies on the back nine to win by one stroke over Tommy Fleetwood.

Scheffler was declared as the 2024 PGA Tour Player of the Year, thus winning the Jack Nicklaus Award for the third successive season.

7: Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya had to face the ire of die-hard Rohit Sharma fans on social media, when he was named as the skipper of the Mumbai Indians. The anger just grew, as the five-time IPL champions finished at the bottom of the table, with the lad from Baroda under-performing with both bat and ball.

However, he redeemed himself within a month, contributing to both departments throughout the tournament, to help India clinch the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, after a wait of 17 years. Importantly, he defended 16 runs in the last over in the final against South Africa, despite the presence of a well-set David Miller.

Also Read: Mumbai Indians (MI) strongest playing XI for IPL 2025

6: Nico Williams

Another Spanish footballer, Nico Williams, has made his way into the list released by Google. The winger, all of 22, had a sensational run at Euro 2024. He displayed his immense potential on numerous instances, scoring the opening goal in the final against England and also managing a passing accuracy of 100% in the round of 16 against Georgia. In a potentially career-defining moment, he was named as the Man of the Match in the final.

Nico also renewed his contract with Athletic Bilbao, despite being rumoured to have been linked up with a number of clubs. In the final of the Copa del Rey against Mallorca, he provided an assist and was eventually named the Player of the Match. His team won the game via a penalty shootout to claim their first major trophy in 40 years.

Also Read: Top 10 best left-wingers of 2024

5: Jake Paul

American professional boxer, Jake Paul, is placed at the fifth spot in the list. Paul was in the news, as he defeated former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in November. The match became the biggest boxing gate in American history outside of Las Vegas and was broadcasted on Netflix.

Earlier in the year, the 27-year-old had also defeated former UFC fighter “King of Violence” Mike Perry, by technical knockout in the sixth round.

4: Simone Biles

Simone Biles, who is the most decorated gymnast ever, finds her name in the list by virtue of her brilliant performances at the Paris Olympics 2024. The American won gold medals in the team, all-round and vault events, apart from winning a silver in floor exercise. She, thus, increased her tally of Olympic medals to eleven, including seven golds.

The 27-year-old also had the honour of being part of the ceremonial passing of the Olympic flag, signifying the end of the Paris Games and the transition into the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

Biles also submitted a new skill for the code of points for the uneven bars, a Weiler kip with 1.5 pirouette, which made her the only female gymnast to have a skill named on every apparatus.

Also Read: Top 10 most searched sports events in India on google in 2024

3: Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal is the third Spanish footballer to make the list. Considering the magnitude of the feats he has achieved at a meagre age of 17, most pundits and fans opine that he can go on to become one of the greatest footballers of all-time. The winger became the joint record holder for most assists in a single Euro edition with four assists—including one each in the Round of 16, semi-final and the final.

His curling strike from outside the penalty box in the semi-final against France was awarded the ‘Goal of the Tournament’. Named as the ‘Young Player of the Tournament’, he also became the youngest ever player to win the Euros.

Also Read: Lionel Messi names Lamine Yamal as his successor at Barcelona

For a club, with a legacy as big as that of Barcelona, Yamal, the youngest ever starter for the first team, has gone on a record-breaking spree, including becoming the youngest goal scorer in El Clásico history.

2: Mike Tyson

American former professional boxer, Mike Tyson, who is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time, yet again entered the limelight, as he fought a post-retirement bout this year. Sanctioned as a professional boxing match by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, the fight against Jake Paul was supposed to take place in May.

However, the 58-year-old suffered an ulcer flare-up aboard an airplane, which meant that the fight was postponed to November 15. Paul eventually won the bout via a unanimous decision.

Also Read: Mike Tyson’s boxing record: Wins, losses & key fights after Jake Paul clash

1: Imane Khelif

Algerian welterweight boxer Imane Khelif was the athlete, who was searched the highest number of times on Google. Khalif, who was declared as UNICEF’s ambassador in January, became her country’s first female boxer to win an Olympic gold medal.

In the second round against Italian Angela Carini, she won within 46 seconds of the commencement of the match, when Carini withdrew after receiving two blows, citing intense pain in her nose. The Italian had reportedly exclaimed, “It’s not fair!” after a punch from Khelif.

As a result, the Algerian was subjected to a lot of scrutiny and abuse on social media, with prominent personalities like JK Rowling speaking out against the boxer and making claims about her gender. However, the International Olympic Committee, led by President Thomas Bach, continued to back the athlete and declared her to be a female. She was allowed to continue participating in the tournament, where she eventually defeated China’s Yang Liu in the final.

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