STATS BREAKDOWN
By Nationality
Top 50 athletes of 2025
by sport
Top 50 athletes of 2025
gender split
Top 50 athletes of 2025
The share of women in the top 50 has declined slightly, from 22 in 2024 to 20 athletes this year. As ever, soccer dominates, with 18 players making the cut, while the USA once again provides more athletes (17) than any other nation.
By Athlete persona type
Top 50 athletes of 2025
By Athlete apparel partner
Top 50 athletes of 2025
Nike boasts the most brand ambassadors in this year’s list, with 20 in total. Next in line is Adidas with 11, while Puma has 5. More than half of the athletes (27) are classified as Consistent Performers – those deemed low-risk safe bets – while nine are classed as Rising Stars – athletes under the age of 25 who show rapid follower growth and strong engagement on social media. Find out more about our new Athlete Persona Model here.
Female athletes in the top 50
2010 - 2025
Female representation in 50MM has generally trended up and to the right since the first list in 2010, peaking at 23 athletes in 2023. Simone Biles, last year’s number one, retains her status as the highest-ranked woman in 2025, while the WNBA is tied with LaLiga as the best represented league in this year’s 50MM, with five athletes.
age distribution
Top 50 athletes of 2025
Within the top 50, the average age remains 28 years old, just as it was in 2024. At 40 years old, top ten stalwarts Lewis Hamilton, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James are the oldest athletes in the list, while seven others are over the age of 35. Skateboarders Rayssa Leal and Sky Brown are the joint-youngest at 17 years old.
Average scores by gender
Top 50 athletes of 2025
When it comes to the Total Marketability Score – the ultimate metric which determines the final rankings – the gender gap is fairly small: women average a score of 48.9 out of 100, while the men average 51.3. Men outscore the women in the Total Addressable Market (TAM) and Economics pillars but women over-index on brand-related scoring metrics, such as authenticity, risk and reputation, and presentation.
YoY risers and fallers
2025 athletes
At number 12, Brazilian skateboarding sensation Rayssa Leal is the biggest riser this year, having surged 85 places from 2024. Significant gains in authenticity and audience engagement fueled Leal’s rise, with the data showing that her TikTok and YouTube accounts delivered standout metrics.