Seriously, Pele Maradona Beckham are more famous in the "world" than others in the US. "World" or "US" Just differs in perspectives...
Would you folks like a taste of the kind of things "celebrities" must endure? Celebrity is having people constantly gawk at you. Celebrity is having someone argue with you about who you were before who you now are. Celebrity is having someone come over to your table and spit into your food while asking for an autograph. Celebrity is trying to be nice to a fan, and then having him not know when to leave. Celebrity is having people follow you home. Celebrity is having people come on to your property, walk around your house, peek into your windows, and take home souvenirs from your front porch. Celebrity is living with hate mail, hate calls, and death threats. Celebrity is having goons try to pick fist-fights with you, so they can then sue. Celebrity is never knowing why someone wants to be your friend. Celebrity is living in a smaller and smaller world because you simply can't trust anyone. Celebrity is having to put up with insults, lies, humiliation, and the like from morons who think that just because you are a celebrity you owe them. Celebrity is being expected to please all the people, all the time - no matter what is going on in your life. Celebrity is not being able to escape prying eyes, gossip, and intrusions in to your life. And that's just a small taste...
Well, ESPN just referred to Beckham as "the world's most famous athelete." Now that Jordan's gone, how can there even be an argument? Soccer and auto racing abroad account for so many more fans than american sports do it's mind-boggling.