1/10
Damar Hamlin
On Jan. 2, 2023, the Buffalo Bills NFL player collapsed during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. First responders performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and managed to save his life. He remained in the hospital for a week until he was discharged. On April 18, after several months of recovery and clinical tests, Hamlin was cleared by the NFL to return to play. In October, the Bills safety returned to play in an official game against the Miami Dolphins. His story was followed around the world, becoming the most-searched athlete on Google.
2/10
Kylian Mbappé
Over the past few years, the French striker has been ranked among the best soccer players in the world. The Paris Saint-Germain star is the second most-searched athlete on Google, and not just because of the spectacular goals he scores and dazzling moves he makes. His media impact is influenced by the endless rumors about his signing for Real Madrid. For several seasons now, he has been linked with the Spanish team. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain fans continue to enjoy his play.
3/10
Travis Kelce
The reasons that lead Travis Kelce to be the third most-Googled athlete have little to do with sports. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end began a romantic relationship with Taylor Swift, the singer who managed to break countless records in 2023. It would not be strange if more "Swifties" than sports fans typed Kelce's name into Google. On the field, he won Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs.
4/10
Ja Morant
Ja Morant, like Kelce, was also one of the most-searched names in sports for off-court reasons. The Memphis Grizzlies point guard appeared in several videos on social media carrying a gun, which cost him a heavy suspension from the top basketball league in the world. He was tapped as one of the rising starts of the NBA, but this season, he has shown nothing on the court (due to his 25-game suspension), likely rising to fourth most-Googled athlete for his controversy online.
5/10
Harry Kane
His move to FC Bayern Munich was one of the biggest soccer stories of the summer. The English striker left Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, after many seasons as a fan favorite, and ventured to Germany's Bundesliga. So far, his performance has been impressive.
6/10
Novak Djokovic
Years go by, and Novak Djokovic is still unbeatable on the court. Season after season, he continues to dominate tournaments, with hardly any opposition. He has won three Grand Slams (the U.S. Open, the French Open and the Australian Open) this year, and was close to sweeping the season, but Carlos Alcaraz got in the way in the Wimbledon final. In total, he has 24 Grand Slams, the most in tennis history. It will be difficult to surpass him. At the age of 36, it remains to be seen if 2024 will be the season of his decline or if he he will continue his dominance.
7/10
Carlos Alcaraz
2022 was the world's introduction to Carlos Alcaraz, the year in which he won his first Grand Slam (the U.S. Open) and in which he managed, for the first time, to reach the top of the ATP ranking. But 2023 has been the season in which Carlos Alcaraz has managed to get even better and remain among the best tennis players in the world. This year, he has won his second Grand Slam, defeating Novak Djokovic in five sets at Wimbledon, playing a match he will never forget. He is currently No. 2 in the world ranking.
8/10
Rachin Ravindra
Cricket does not enjoy great popularity in the United States, but it does in other countries, such as India, where almost 1.5 billion people live. New Zealander Rachin Ravindra, who this year became the youngest player to complete 500 runs in the history of the World Cup, is one of the game's stars.
9/10
Shubman Gill
The same is the case with Shubman Gill. This cricketer, born in India in 1999, enjoys great fame amongst cricket fans. This placed him as the ninth most-searched athlete on Google.
10/10
Kyrie Irving
Irving is undoubtedly one of the most controversial players in the NBA. Last year, he came into the spotlight for an antisemitic post he made on his Twitter (now X) account, which caused his sponsor, Nike, to end its sponsorship of him. In 2023, he signed with the Chinese firm Anta. He has also been involved in other controversies due to his statements, such as when he claimed that the Earth was flat. Judging him just by his game on the court, this season he is putting up productive numbers, serving as a key piece for the Dallas Mavericks.