Neymar Jr. was the most-searched athlete on Google in 2020: 9.1 million times

A data analytics platform reported that search volume peaked in August

Neymar Jr.'s ability to connect with diverse audiences beyond soccer continues to grow. Proof of the star's popularity is that he was the most-searched athlete on Google in 2020—9.1 million times.

The information was released by SEMrush, an American data analytics platform. The impressive figure that placed Neymar Jr. at the top of the search rankings was reached in August, during the final stages of the Champions League, held in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. PSG reached the competition’s final for the first time and finished as runner-up.

According to the platform’s analysis, the figure of 9.1 million represented the highest monthly volume of Google searches for an athlete’s name that year. The data regarding the player is also in line with the growing popularity of the Champions League—68 million searches.

The European club competition has surpassed the popularity of the American “Super Bowl,” with a 127% increase in searches for “Champions League” in 2020.

SEMrush also revealed the most popular athletes from the year's five major sporting events: Neymar Jr., Sofia Kenin, Patrick Mahomes, Dominic Thiem, and Rafael Nadal were clear favorites during their respective tournaments.

On Twitter

Neymar Jr. was also featured in a recent ranking released by Twitter last year. The data showed that the PSG forward was the most talked-about athlete in Brazil on the social media platform.