A new study by PureGym using Google data has revealed the most popular sportswomen around the world, highlighting which athletes are being searched-for the most by fans within their home countries and across the globe.
Looking to celebrate the successes and stories of both active and retired sportswomen, the study analysed thousands of notable names from sports such as soccer and tennis, all the way to curling, to find which are being searched on Google the most. Ex-UFC and WWE superstar Ronda Rousey came out as the champ for worldwide popularity, with fans from all corners of the globe. The worldwide top 10 also featured household names such Alex Morgan and Venus Williams, however the popularity of Rousey-led combat sports shone through, with double-UFC title holder Amanda Nunes from Brazil and Ireland’s Becky Lynch also featuring as two of the most popular sportswomen in the world.
The Most Famous Female Athletes in the World
| Ranking | Athlete | Annual global searches |
| 1 | Ronda Rousey | 11,866,000 |
| 2 | Simone Biles | 8,429,000 |
| 3 | Paige Vanzant | 7,779,000 |
| 4 | Alex Morgan | 6,846,000 |
| 5 | Becky Lynch | 6,446,000 |
| 6 | Simona Halep | 6,139,000 |
| 7 | Venus Williams | 5,926,000 |
| 8 | Jessica Walter | 4,925,000 |
| 9 | Amanda Nunes | 4,919,000 |
| 10 | Alica Schmidt | 4,819,000 |
Outside of the worldwide rankings, the in-depth analysis also looked at the most popular female athletes within each country to create an eye-catching set of maps brimming with inspiring sportswomen who have both retired, and are still at the top of their game. In England, Alex Scott MBE shows she is just as popular as a presenter as she was as a footballer, taking the top spot above the likes of Nicola Adams, Lucy Bronze and Dina Asher-Smith.
Despite Ronda Rousey being the most searched for female athlete worldwide, it’s actually decorated gymnast Simone Biles that takes the top spot in the United States, while other notable sportswomen highlighted in the research include New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the youngest golf player ever to be ranked as the world’s number one, researching the summit at just 17 years of age.
The Most Popular Sportswomen in England
| Ranking | Athlete | Annual national searches |
| 1 | Alex Scott | 1,585,000 |
| 2 | Nicola Adams | 595,400 |
| 3 | Sue Barker | 385,600 |
| 4 | Victoria Pendleton | 381,700 |
| 5 | Dina Asher-Smith | 278,300 |
| 6 | Kelly Holmes | 247,400 |
| 7 | Lucy Bronze | 222,400 |
| 8 | Denise Lewis | 169,000 |
| 9 | Fatima Whitbread | 156,200 |
| 10 | Katarina Johnson-Thompson | 119,200 |
Stephen Rowe, Chief Marketing Officer PureGym commented: “In this summer alone, we’ve seen so many sportswomen storm the Olympic stage, with new world records and courageous decisions that have set great examples for any aspiring young athletes.
We wanted to celebrate these amazing women and others, so hope our findings and the resulting maps help people to discover some new sporting idols from around the world. And for anyone who has been inspired by these stars to get fit or take up a new sport, we also look forward to playing a helping hand in aiding your performance at the gym!”
For the full findings, visit: puregym.com/blog/the-most-famous-female-athletes-worldwide
