The Professional Athlete Index
Making it to the top of a sport requires decades of extreme dedication and many thousands of hours of training and practice, which must all be in addition to a complementary set of in-built physical features that mean some people, and not others, have the tools to succeed.
Beyond physical attributes, your country of birth can heavily influence whether the ecosystem is favourable to excelling in a sport. An almost religious love of football across the nation ensures Brazil continues to produce elite footballers by the hundreds, despite limited investment in youth academies in comparison with other countries.
In many places, a sport’s popularity dictates how much financial investment it receives, and these factors combine to facilitate easier progression for budding athletes under the right conditions, or hinder those without.
Make it through these challenges to the upper stratosphere of athletes and you are still at the mercy of injuries or poor form that can limit performance levels and success.
There are obstacles at every turn, meaning only a tiny fraction of amateur sportsmen and women ever turn professional. Here are the probabilities of becoming a professional in a range of globally popular sports around the world.
Mixed martial arts, or MMA, only emerged in the 1990s, yet it has experienced a surge in popularity and today is one of the fastest growing sports. Initially created to decide which martial art was superior, MMA has since evolved into a world famous sport in its own right, elevated into the mainstream through the superstar appeal of Conor McGregor, whose $180 million salary in 2020 made him the highest paid sportsperson in the world. There are currently around 1,000 professional MMA athletes, with the average annual salary clocking in at $148,000. Its swift growth has been at the expense of boxing, which is suffering from a stagnation in popularity.
This map shows the percentage of current top tier MMA athletes that come from each country.
|
Country
|
Percentage of top tier MMA athletes globally
|
|---|
| USA |
38.73%
|
| Brazil |
13.79%
|
| Russia |
13.53%
|
| UK |
3.18%
|
| Poland |
3.18%
|
| Canada |
1.86%
|
| Australia |
1.59%
|
| South Korea |
1.59%
|
| Sweden |
1.33%
|
| Georgia |
1.06%
|
| Japan |
1.06%
|
| New Zealand |
1.06%
|
| China |
0.80%
|
| Czech Republic |
0.80%
|
| France |
0.80%
|
| Moldova |
0.80%
|
| Netherlands |
0.80%
|
| Ukraine |
0.80%
|
| Argentina |
0.53%
|
| Austria |
0.53%
|
| Bulgaria |
0.53%
|
| Switzerland |
0.53%
|
| Germany |
0.53%
|
| Denmark |
0.53%
|
| Spain |
0.53%
|
| Ireland |
0.53%
|
| Jamaica |
0.53%
|
| Kazakhstan |
0.53%
|
| Bosnia |
0.27%
|
| Belarus |
0.27%
|
| South Africa |
0.27%
|
| Cameroon |
0.27%
|
| Uzbekistan |
0.27%
|
| Ecuador |
0.27%
|
| Haiti |
0.27%
|
| Hungary |
0.27%
|
| Iran |
0.27%
|
| Italy |
0.27%
|
| Lithuania |
0.27%
|
| Latvia |
0.27%
|
| Mexico |
0.27%
|
| Nigeria |
0.27%
|
| Norway |
0.27%
|
| Philippines |
0.27%
|
| Paraguay |
0.27%
|
| Serbia |
0.27%
|
| Guyana |
0.27%
|
| Suriname |
0.27%
|
This map shows the odds of being a top tier MMA athlete in each country, ranked from highest to lowest probability. 1 in 61,493 men born in Jamaica in the study’s age bracket are top MMA athletes, the best odds in the world.
|
Country
|
Odds of being a top tier MMA athlete (1:X)
|
|---|
| Jamaica |
61,492
|
| Suriname |
63,939
|
| Georgia |
76,554
|
| Moldova |
89,473
|
| New Zealand |
95,440
|
| Guyana |
130,535
|
| Sweden |
135,609
|
| Latvia |
152,256
|
| USA |
154,037
|
| Russia |
182,152
|
| Bosnia |
204,417
|
| Denmark |
222,756
|
| Czech Republic |
224,377
|
| Poland |
237,455
|
| Bulgaria |
249,802
|
| Lithuania |
265,446
|
| Switzerland |
266,448
|
| Ireland |
279,396
|
| Australia |
282,104
|
| Austria |
283,946
|
| Canada |
288,053
|
| Norway |
332,834
|
| UK |
402,013
|
| Serbia |
411,314
|
| Netherlands |
439,098
|
| Brazil |
445,968
|
| Belarus |
682,304
|
| Hungary |
708,405
|
| Kazakhstan |
884,076
|
| Paraguay |
935,623
|
| Ukraine |
1,043,698
|
| South Korea |
1,158,126
|
| Spain |
1,301,294
|
| France |
1,651,535
|
| Haiti |
1,734,389
|
| Japan |
1,985,246
|
| Ecuador |
2,073,173
|
| Argentina |
2,276,485
|
| Germany |
2,583,925
|
| Uzbekistan |
3,306,461
|
| Italy |
3,631,378
|
| Cameroon |
3,956,335
|
| Iran |
4,707,991
|
| Philippines |
6,098,472
|
| South Africa |
6,820,247
|
| Mexico |
15,453,390
|
| Nigeria |
32,164,612
|
| China |
41,549,810
|
Football
Ice Hockey
Basketball
Tennis
MMA
Golf
Athletics
Cycling
| Percentage of top tier athletes globally | Odds of being a top tier athlete (1:X) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Country | Country Code |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 13 | Guyana | GUY | - | - | - | - | 0.27 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 130,535 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | Suriname | SUR | - | - | - | - | 0.27 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63,939 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 69 | Albania | ALB | 0.18 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.30 | 5,150 | 0 | 272,912 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38,988 | 45,486 |
| 70 | Argentina | ARG | 4.38 | 0.00 | 3.77 | 3.76 | 0.53 | 0.90 | 0.35 | 0.10 | 3,626 | 0 | 13,198 | 42,552 | 2,276,485 | 267,823 | 57,634 | 2,276,485 |
| 71 | Australia | AUS | 1.01 | 1.57 | 1.26 | 1.26 | 1.59 | 6.27 | 2.59 | 2.40 | 5,838 | 12,356 | 14,719 | 21,983 | 282,104 | 14,225 | 2,894 | 35,264 |
| 72 | Austria | AUT | 1.12 | 0.72 | 1.10 | 1.26 | 0.53 | 0.69 | 0.36 | 1.15 | 1,770 | 9,015 | 5,624 | 15,776 | 283,946 | 43,685 | 7,012 | 24,692 |
| 73 | Belgium | BEL | 1.20 | 0.76 | 1.43 | 1.54 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.91 | 7.00 | 2,260 | 11,809 | 5,950 | 17,713 | 0 | 155,862 | 3,784 | 5,567 |
| 74 | Bulgaria | BGR | 1.18 | 1.23 | 0.07 | 0.88 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.70 | 1,470 | 4,670 | 83,268 | 19,985 | 249,802 | 0 | 8,191 | 35,687 |
| 75 | Bahamas | BHS | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 5,326 | 12,427 | 0 | 0 | 505 | 0 |
| 76 | Bosnia | BIH | 0.50 | 0.00 | 0.75 | 0.35 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.45 | 1,421 | 0 | 2,964 | 20,443 | 204,417 | 0 | 10,760 | 22,714 |
| 77 | Belarus | BLR | 0.06 | 2.31 | 0.20 | 0.63 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.79 | 0.85 | 40,136 | 3,379 | 37,907 | 37,907 | 682,304 | 0 | 3,834 | 40,136 |
| 78 | Bolivia | BOL | 1.53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.42 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 3,731 | 0 | 0 | 136,452 | 0 | 0 | 86,181 | 0 |
| 79 | Brazil | BRA | 5.14 | 0.00 | 2.77 | 2.07 | 13.79 | 0.16 | 1.29 | 0.00 | 15,713 | 0 | 91,301 | 393,057 | 445,968 | 7,730,098 | 79,420 | 0 |
| 80 | Barbados | BRB | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.18 | 0.00 | 15,738 | 0 | 15,738 | 15,738 | 0 | 0 | 394 | 0 |
| 81 | Canada | CAN | 0.69 | 11.36 | 1.39 | 1.37 | 1.86 | 1.21 | 1.86 | 0.70 | 10,185 | 2,036 | 15,878 | 51,703 | 288,053 | 87,669 | 4,802 | 144,027 |
| 82 | Switzerland | CHE | 0.81 | 2.23 | 0.14 | 1.47 | 0.53 | 0.53 | 0.90 | 2.00 | 2,298 | 2,734 | 40,993 | 12,689 | 266,448 | 53,291 | 2,626 | 13,323 |
| 83 | Chile | CHL | 1.75 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.42 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 3,512 | 0 | 293,170 | 87,952 | 0 | 219,878 | 38,240 | 0 |
| 84 | China | CHN | 1.36 | 0.01 | 3.92 | 1.58 | 0.80 | 2.16 | 3.30 | 0.00 | 319,615 | 124,649,428 | 347,214 | 2,769,988 | 41,549,810 | 3,040,231 | 167,091 | 0 |
| 85 | Ivory Coast | CIV | 0.42 | 0.00 | 0.14 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.10 | 33,589 | 0 | 312,631 | 4,064,197 | 0 | 0 | 508,025 | 2,032,099 |
| 86 | South Africa | ZAF | 1.46 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.77 | 0.27 | 7.80 | 1.41 | 1.05 | 16,240 | 0 | 6,820,247 | 310,012 | 6,820,247 | 46,084 | 21,314 | 324,775 |
| 87 | Vietnam | VNM | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,007,298 | 0 | 0 | 137,360 | 0 |
| 88 | Cameroon | CMR | 0.37 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.20 | 37,325 | 0 | 395,634 | 0 | 3,956,335 | 0 | 197,818 | 989,085 |
| 89 | Colombia | COL | 3.23 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.81 | 0.00 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 3.85 | 6,284 | 0 | 727,244 | 252,955 | 0 | 727,244 | 61,894 | 75,559 |
| 90 | Costa Rica | CRI | 1.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.10 | 1,440 | 0 | 0 | 437,383 | 0 | 0 | 23,021 | 218,692 |
| 91 | Uzbekistan | UZB | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.60 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 300,588 | 0 | 0 | 194,499 | 3,306,461 | 0 | 71,881 | 1,102,154 |
| 92 | Cuba | CUB | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.39 | 0.05 | 252,405 | 0 | 84,136 | 504,808 | 0 | 0 | 11,345 | 1,009,615 |
| 93 | Cyprus | CYP | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.05 | 6,970 | 0 | 5,228 | 15,681 | 0 | 0 | 1,494 | 62,719 |
| 94 | USA | USA | 1.42 | 5.66 | 26.42 | 9.59 | 38.73 | 23.09 | 21.99 | 2.25 | 55,393 | 45,526 | 9,298 | 82,379 | 154,037 | 51,346 | 4,520 | 499,762 |
| 95 | Czech Republic | CZE | 1.84 | 5.69 | 1.96 | 2.00 | 0.80 | 0.32 | 1.15 | 1.30 | 1,276 | 1,355 | 3,761 | 11,810 | 224,377 | 112,189 | 2,590 | 25,891 |
| 96 | Germany | DEU | 1.42 | 1.09 | 1.81 | 4.53 | 0.53 | 2.48 | 2.95 | 3.25 | 12,667 | 54,399 | 31,133 | 40,062 | 2,583,925 | 109,955 | 7,737 | 79,506 |
| 97 | Denmark | DNK | 1.16 | 2.46 | 0.17 | 0.21 | 0.53 | 2.00 | 0.44 | 2.45 | 1,343 | 2,073 | 27,845 | 74,253 | 222,756 | 11,725 | 4,501 | 9,093 |
| 98 | Uruguay | URY | 2.60 | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.32 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.55 | 451 | 0 | 20,984 | 37,304 | 0 | 0 | 25,826 | 30,522 |
| 99 | Dominican Republic | DOM | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.42 | 0.35 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.00 | 686,706 | 0 | 36,143 | 137,342 | 0 | 1,373,411 | 57,226 | 0 |
| 100 | Algeria | DZA | 2.39 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.30 | 3,741 | 0 | 0 | 856,456 | 0 | 0 | 47,582 | 428,228 |
| 101 | Ecuador | ECU | 1.60 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.42 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.85 | 4,508 | 0 | 2,073,173 | 172,765 | 2,073,173 | 0 | 42,311 | 121,952 |
| 102 | Egypt | EGY | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.05 | 589,345 | 0 | 11,197,542 | 589,345 | 0 | 0 | 260,409 | 11,197,542 |
| 103 | Spain | ESP | 2.47 | 1.32 | 1.28 | 4.78 | 0.53 | 2.16 | 2.95 | 5.20 | 3,677 | 22,632 | 22,245 | 19,138 | 1,301,294 | 63,479 | 3,897 | 25,026 |
| 104 | Estonia | EST | 0.05 | 1.05 | 0.99 | 0.42 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.39 | 0.90 | 6,705 | 1,021 | 1,032 | 7,822 | 0 | 93,853 | 1,068 | 5,215 |
| 105 | Ethiopia | ETH | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.81 | 0.60 | 8,842,898 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43,243 | 1,473,817 |
| 106 | Finland | FIN | 0.90 | 6.93 | 1.30 | 0.63 | 0.00 | 0.90 | 1.16 | 0.70 | 1,166 | 498 | 2,527 | 16,699 | 0 | 17,681 | 1,144 | 21,470 |
| 107 | France | FRA | 2.35 | 2.37 | 2.02 | 6.53 | 0.80 | 3.64 | 3.38 | 7.65 | 7,363 | 23,936 | 26,783 | 26,639 | 1,651,535 | 71,807 | 6,486 | 32,384 |
| 108 | UK | GBR | 2.65 | 1.01 | 1.05 | 3.58 | 3.18 | 10.17 | 3.93 | 2.60 | 6,357 | 54,821 | 50,253 | 47,297 | 402,013 | 24,997 | 5,421 | 92,773 |
| 109 | Georgia | GEO | 0.16 | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.28 | 1.06 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.30 | 6,658 | 5,469 | 2,375 | 38,278 | 76,554 | 0 | 34,025 | 51,037 |
| 110 | Ghana | GHA | 0.61 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.25 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.00 | 24,528 | 0 | 4,292,264 | 613,181 | 0 | 0 | 143,076 | 0 |
| 111 | Greece | GRC | 0.98 | 0.00 | 1.41 | 0.60 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.77 | 0.70 | 2,445 | 0 | 5,325 | 40,399 | 0 | 686,768 | 3,925 | 49,056 |
| 112 | Guatemala | GTM | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.11 | 0.55 | 572,193 | 0 | 0 | 1,716,578 | 0 | 1,716,578 | 68,664 | 156,053 |
| 113 | Hong Kong | HKG | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.28 | 0.00 | 0.16 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 200,741 | 0 | 401,480 | 50,186 | 0 | 133,827 | 30,884 | 0 |
| 114 | Croatia | HRV | 1.37 | 1.48 | 1.23 | 1.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 0.70 | 802 | 2,442 | 2,787 | 8,510 | 0 | 0 | 4,199 | 22,490 |
| 115 | Haiti | HTI | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 157,673 | 0 | 578,130 | 1,734,389 | 1,734,389 | 0 | 346,879 | 0 |
| 116 | Hungary | HUN | 0.99 | 2.31 | 1.69 | 0.70 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.71 | 0.85 | 2,504 | 3,508 | 4,571 | 35,421 | 708,405 | 0 | 4,401 | 41,672 |
| 117 | Indonesia | IDN | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.18 | 0.00 | 0.21 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 4,981,770 | 0 | 0 | 5,978,123 | 0 | 7,472,654 | 2,135,045 | 0 |
| 118 | India | IND | 1.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.28 | 0.00 | 2.64 | 1.07 | 0.00 | 360,494 | 0 | 0 | 2,778,570 | 0 | 3,612,141 | 743,240 | 0 |
| 119 | Ireland | IRL | 0.87 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.21 | 0.53 | 0.79 | 0.86 | 0.40 | 2,236 | 0 | 0 | 93,133 | 279,396 | 37,254 | 2,867 | 69,850 |
| 120 | Iran | IRN | 1.55 | 0.00 | 1.40 | 0.14 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.40 | 10,605 | 0 | 36,782 | 1,176,999 | 4,707,991 | 0 | 96,082 | 588,500 |
| 121 | Iceland | ISL | 1.13 | 0.78 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.16 | 0.12 | 0.60 | 82 | 388 | 4,381 | 0 | 0 | 8,762 | 940 | 2,191 |
| 122 | Israel | ISR | 0.12 | 1.02 | 1.43 | 0.95 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.65 | 23,842 | 9,377 | 6,371 | 30,906 | 0 | 0 | 12,094 | 64,188 |
| 123 | Italy | ITA | 1.10 | 1.90 | 1.66 | 7.13 | 0.27 | 1.53 | 2.59 | 9.30 | 11,529 | 21,877 | 23,892 | 17,890 | 3,631,378 | 125,221 | 6,208 | 19,525 |
| 124 | Jamaica | JAM | 0.08 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 1.90 | 0.00 | 5,348 | 0 | 17,570 | 122,984 | 61,492 | 0 | 286 | 0 |
| 125 | Japan | JPN | 1.79 | 0.54 | 2.57 | 3.05 | 1.06 | 7.96 | 7.84 | 0.65 | 15,420 | 168,958 | 33,792 | 91,277 | 1,985,246 | 52,590 | 4,477 | 610,846 |
| 126 | Kazakhstan | KAZ | 0.03 | 1.02 | 0.10 | 0.56 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 0.28 | 0.90 | 176,816 | 19,868 | 196,462 | 110,510 | 884,076 | 0 | 27,628 | 98,232 |
| 127 | South Korea | KOR | 1.35 | 0.30 | 1.76 | 1.23 | 1.59 | 6.91 | 0.51 | 0.00 | 17,910 | 267,261 | 43,161 | 198,537 | 1,158,126 | 53,045 | 59,904 | 0 |
| 128 | Kenya | KEN | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.14 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 4.32 | 0.05 | 701,467 | 0 | 2,572,044 | 1,929,033 | 0 | 7,716,130 | 7,899 | 7,716,130 |
| 129 | Lithuania | LTU | 0.04 | 1.39 | 2.14 | 0.46 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.55 | 22,121 | 2,195 | 1,355 | 20,420 | 265,446 | 0 | 3,124 | 24,132 |
| 130 | Luxembourg | LUX | 0.06 | 0.00 | 1.63 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.80 | 1,949 | 0 | 210 | 15,589 | 0 | 0 | 1,949 | 1,949 |
| 131 | Latvia | LVA | 0.05 | 1.15 | 1.50 | 0.28 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.55 | 11,713 | 1,524 | 1,112 | 19,033 | 152,256 | 0 | 2,457 | 13,842 |
| 132 | Morocco | MAR | 0.33 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.49 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.95 | 0.15 | 38,972 | 0 | 1,831,653 | 261,666 | 0 | 1,831,653 | 16,961 | 1,221,102 |
| 133 | Moldova | MDA | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.18 | 0.80 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 12,783 | 0 | 268,418 | 53,684 | 89,473 | 0 | 15,790 | 0 |
| 134 | Mexico | MEX | 1.73 | 0.80 | 0.95 | 0.91 | 0.27 | 0.47 | 0.63 | 0.75 | 31,220 | 220,764 | 177,626 | 594,362 | 15,453,390 | 1,717,044 | 108,067 | 1,030,227 |
| 135 | Macedonia | MKD | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.12 | 0.21 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.45 | 3,207 | 0 | 15,741 | 28,858 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19,239 |
| 136 | Montenegro | MNE | 0.25 | 0.00 | 2.57 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.45 | 258 | 0 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,604 | 2,026 |
| 137 | Malaysia | MYS | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.58 | 0.14 | 0.10 | 704,705 | 0 | 0 | 1,174,508 | 0 | 320,321 | 113,663 | 1,761,762 |
| 138 | Namibia | NAM | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.55 | 3,236 | 0 | 0 | 22,644 | 0 | 0 | 1,259 | 2,059 |
| 139 | Nigeria | NGA | 3.44 | 3.44 | 0.39 | 0.18 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.69 | 0.00 | 32,622 | 0 | 893,462 | 6,432,923 | 32,164,612 | 0 | 204,871 | 0 |
| 140 | Netherlands | NLD | 1.81 | 0.85 | 0.25 | 2.18 | 0.80 | 0.79 | 1.21 | 5.65 | 2,539 | 17,802 | 57,275 | 21,248 | 439,098 | 87,820 | 4,826 | 11,658 |
| 141 | Norway | NOR | 1.50 | 2.48 | 0.00 | 0.25 | 0.27 | 0.63 | 0.71 | 1.95 | 777 | 1,542 | 0 | 47,549 | 332,834 | 27,737 | 2,068 | 8,535 |
| 142 | New Zealand | NZL | 0.14 | 1.47 | 1.74 | 0.46 | 1.06 | 0.90 | 0.64 | 2.80 | 9,312 | 2,983 | 2,402 | 29,367 | 95,440 | 22,457 | 2,652 | 6,818 |
| 143 | Panama | PAN | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.60 | 16,006 | 0 | 104,032 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37,830 | 34,678 |
| 144 | Peru | PER | 1.88 | 1.88 | 0.01 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.00 | 1,880 | 0 | 1,011,166 | 67,412 | 0 | 0 | 23,516 | 0 |
| 145 | Philippines | PHL | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.85 | 0.21 | 0.27 | 0.32 | 0.08 | 0.00 | 6,098,472 | 0 | 36,087 | 1,016,413 | 6,098,472 | 1,016,413 | 338,805 | 0 |
| 146 | Poland | POL | 1.47 | 0.26 | 2.34 | 1.30 | 3.18 | 0.11 | 1.91 | 1.85 | 6,753 | 123,890 | 13,316 | 77,013 | 237,455 | 1,424,727 | 6,597 | 77,013 |
| 147 | Puerto Rico | PRI | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.24 | 0.50 | 186,458 | 0 | 4,908 | 372,915 | 0 | 372,915 | 6,781 | 37,292 |
| 149 | Portugal | PRT | 1.40 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 1.16 | 0.00 | 0.47 | 0.87 | 1.45 | 1,889 | 0 | 760,961 | 23,060 | 0 | 84,552 | 3,883 | 26,241 |
| 151 | Paraguay | PRY | 1.36 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.07 | 0.27 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.00 | 2,400 | 0 | 467,812 | 467,812 | 935,623 | 935,624 | 133,661 | 0 |
| 153 | Romania | ROU | 1.47 | 0.72 | 0.01 | 1.79 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.49 | 0.05 | 3,766 | 25,220 | 1,588,807 | 31,154 | 0 | 0 | 14,187 | 1,588,807 |
| 155 | Russia | RUS | 1.38 | 17.30 | 1.17 | 3.65 | 13.53 | 0.00 | 2.01 | 2.20 | 23,401 | 6,153 | 86,821 | 89,325 | 182,152 | 0 | 20,463 | 211,131 |
| 157 | Saudi Arabia | SAU | 2.62 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.60 | 4,866 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 228,960 | 305,280 |
| 159 | Senegal | SEN | 0.46 | 0.00 | 0.45 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 3,136 | 0 | 10,094 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31,833 | 0 |
| 161 | El Salvador | SLV | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.60 | 143,837 | 0 | 1,006,852 | 503,427 | 0 | 0 | 251,714 | 83,905 |
| 163 | Serbia | SRB | 2.63 | 0.76 | 3.41 | 1.47 | 0.27 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.65 | 546 | 6,233 | 1,319 | 9,794 | 411,314 | 0 | 6,050 | 31,640 |
| 165 | Slovakia | SVK | 1.13 | 4.74 | 0.16 | 1.23 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.25 | 0.65 | 1,075 | 839 | 23,135 | 9,916 | 0 | 347,011 | 6,089 | 26,694 |
| 167 | Slovenia | SVN | 0.23 | 2.58 | 2.06 | 0.46 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.35 | 0.90 | 1,924 | 557 | 662 | 9,617 | 0 | 0 | 1,583 | 6,946 |
| 169 | Sweden | SWE | 1.55 | 6.21 | 0.20 | 1.40 | 1.33 | 4.38 | 1.16 | 0.70 | 1,528 | 1,252 | 37,670 | 16,952 | 135,609 | 8,170 | 2,579 | 48,433 |
| 171 | Thailand | THA | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.81 | 0.00 | 3.37 | 0.11 | 0.55 | 1,050,249 | 0 | 0 | 273,979 | 0 | 98,462 | 242,366 | 572,864 |
| 173 | Trinidad & Tobago | TTO | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 7,947 | 0 | 63,566 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,898 | 0 |
| 174 | Tunisia | TUN | 1.51 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.39 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 2,814 | 0 | 101,725 | 110,972 | 0 | 0 | 61,035 | 0 |
| 175 | Turkey | TUR | 1.62 | 0.00 | 1.81 | 0.81 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.84 | 0.55 | 10,007 | 0 | 27,970 | 201,865 | 0 | 0 | 24,309 | 422,079 |
| 177 | Taiwan | TWN | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.74 | 0.00 | 0.79 | 0.37 | 0.00 | 639,736 | 0 | 0 | 91,392 | 0 | 127,948 | 22,849 | 0 |
| 178 | Ukraine | UKR | 1.71 | 1.51 | 1.57 | 1.62 | 0.80 | 0.00 | 1.22 | 0.80 | 6,365 | 23,721 | 21,745 | 68,068 | 1,043,698 | 0 | 11,387 | 195,694 |
The Professional Athlete Index analyses eight globally popular team and individual sports. For each sport, a list of top tier male competitors from the latest completed season or ranking was gathered.
For team sports, player data was taken from every team playing in the top domestic league of the world’s 35 highest ranked nations. For individual sports, the players that feature in each sport’s international association ranking were included.
The athletes were assigned to countries based on their nationality. In cases of multiple nationalities, the athletes were assigned to their country of birth.
To calculate the odds of being a top tier athlete, we compared the number of top tier athletes from each country with that country’s number of births over a 12-year period – representing a typical length of a sporting career at the top level. The odds represent the chances of someone born during that period making it to the elite level of each sport.
This percentage was calculated using the following equation:
Total number of top tier athletes from each country / Total number of top tier athletes in each sport
The odds were calculated for each country in the study using the following equation:
1 / (number of top tier athletes from each country / total number of people born in each country over 12-year period) / (number of people born over 12-year period in each country that are not currently top tier athletes / total number of people born in each country over 12-year period)
Source: Male births, years 1991 to 2003, UN Demographic Yearbook.
Player data was sourced from the top domestic league of the 35 highest ranked countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings, as at 27/05/2021. These leagues include athletes from all around the world, meaning players from more than 35 countries are featured in the dataset.
Player data was sourced from the top domestic league of the 35 highest ranked countries in the IIHF men’s world rankings, as at 01/06/2021. These leagues include athletes from all around the world, meaning players from more than 35 countries are featured in the dataset.
Player data was sourced from the top domestic league of the 35 highest ranked countries in the FIBA men’s world rankings, as at 02/03/2021. These leagues include athletes from all around the world, meaning players from more than 35 countries are featured in the dataset.
All male tennis players with a singles or doubles ATP ranking as at 28/06/2021 were included.
All male MMA athletes with a UFC or Ranking MMA ranking as at 04/07/2021 were included.
All male golfers with an Official World Golf Ranking ranking as at 04/07/2021 were included.
All male athletes with a World Athletics ranking as at 29/06/2021 were included.
All male cyclists ranked by Pro Cycling Stats as at 30/06/2021 were included.