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Published: 07:16 EDT, 30 November 2024 | Updated: 08:50 EDT, 30 November 2024

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No Mohamed Salah. No NFL stars who play outside of Kansas City. And two gymnasts inside the top six.

Those are among the startling findings of a new study into the 50 most marketable athletes across the world.

SportsPro and NorthStar Solutions Group recently assessed more than 1,000 stars - from 174 different sports 'categories' - who competed between September 1, 2023 and September 1, 2024.

It is the 15th edition of the study, with previous winners including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James.

In 2024, however, the No1 spot went to Olympic hero Simone Biles, with the top 15 also featuring female athletes from basketball, rugby, swimming and tennis.

Real Madrid sensation Vinicius Jr and James make up the top three for 2024, with WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark and Messi completing the top five.

Olympics sensation Simone Biles has been ranked the most marketable athlete in world sports

The gymnast finished ahead of soccer star Vinicius Jr. and NBA legend LeBron James

Novak Djokovic reveals how Andy Murray reacted to his SHOCK call to become his coach for the 2025 Australian Open

Messi's rival Ronaldo sits ninth on the list following his move to Saudi Arabia, while Real Madrid sensation Kylian Mbappe is two spots higher in seventh.

The France striker is sandwiched between Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who enjoyed an electrifying rivalry with Biles during the Paris Olympics, and Ilona Maher.

Maher was part of Team USA's rugby sevens team that took bronze in the Games last summer.

Another Olympics star, swimmer Katie Ledecky, sits No 10 on the list after she took her tally to nine gold medals - more than any other female swimmer.

Lewis Hamilton (No 11) is the highest-ranked Formula One driver, with Chiefs star Travis Kelce considered the most marketable NFL player in the world.

Kelce - who is dating pop star Taylor Swift - sits ahead of tennis sensation Coco Gauff (13), Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles (14), Biles' Olympic teammate Sunisa Lee and college basketball star Paige Bueckers.

Completing the top 20 are soccer stars Neymar (17) and Jude Bellingham (19) as well as Novak Djokovic (18) and NBA star Stephen Curry.

The Golden State Warriors guard is one of 11 basketball players inside the top 50, with the WNBA (six) outnumbering the NBA (four).

Travis Kelce - who sits No 12 on the list - is considered the most marketable NFL player globally

WNBA star Caitlin Clark is fourth on the list, while tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz is 29th

There are, however, 28 male athletes compared to 22 females, with nearly half (21) of the top 50 hailing from the USA. Great Britain (seven) is the next most-represented nation.

Carlos Alcaraz (29), Aitana Bonmati (32), Rafael Nadal (34) and teen sensation Lamine Yamal (41) making up Spain's contingent..

Soccer dominates the top 50, with 15 players - more than any other sport. USWNT legend Alex Morgan is the highest-ranked female player, with England captain Harry Kane sitting 30th but Liverpool star Salah only No 61.

Remarkably, however, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (36) is the only other NFL star inside the top 50. Tyreek Hill (93), Brock Purdy (99) and Christian McCaffrey (100), CJ Stroud (107), Maxx Crosby (119), Josh Allen (129), and Derrick Henry (140) also in the top 150.

Tennis, on the other hand, has eight players in the top 50, while newly-crowned world champion Max Verstappen is one of five F1 drivers.

Remarkably, world No 1 Scottie Scheffler (65) the top-ranked golfer, with his female equivalent Nelly Korda only ranked No 115.

Both the Olympics and the recent WNBA boom have had a major influence on the rankings, with 23 new entrants among the top 50, including Clark, Andrade, Maher, Ledecky, Lyles, and Lee.

In total, the study ranks the 150 most marketable athletes based on three main pillars: 'brand strength, total addressable market (TAM), and economics'.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the only other NFL player inside the top 50

Mahomes, ranked No 36 in the world, is more than 20 places below Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles

Brand strength focuses on 'authenticity, brand risk and reputation, in-sport performance, presentation, purpose, mission and values' as well as 'momentum'.

TAM, meanwhile, considers 'factors such as overall reach, attention growth, social sentiment, audience engagement' as well as 'sponsor, sport and team awareness'.

Finally, economics looks at an 'athlete's market value and estimated worth, their public support for environmental causes, and the extent to which they generate social and community benefits through their actions, influence and engagement'.

The study used 'comprehensive mathematical and statistical formulas' to come up with a total marketability score out of 100. Biles ended with 96.16 - nearly five points more than Vinicius - while No 150-ranked Alisha Lehmann scored 12.07.

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