Top 10 Greatest Sports Icons
From the crack of a bat to the swish of a net, sports are a universal language, binding us together in collective anticipation, shared triumphs, and communal heartbreaks. Now, you find yourself in the grandstand of a different kind of competition, one that transcends individual games. You're here to contribute to the ultimate roster, the list of the greatest sports icons.These aren't just your everyday athletes; they're the trailblazers, the game-changers, the legends whose names echo in the halls of sports history. They're the figures who've inspired millions, from wide-eyed kids in backyards dreaming of their big break, to seasoned professionals striving to break records. These are the individuals who've pushed the boundaries of what's possible, from shattering records to breaking down barriers, from rewriting the rulebook to redefining their sports.
Picture them in your mind's eye. The unstoppable force of Babe Ruth at the plate. The transcendent skill of Michael Jordan soaring towards the basket. The unflinching determination of Serena Williams on the tennis court. The lightning speed of Usain Bolt on the track. The unparalleled dominance of Wayne Gretzky on the ice. And that's just scratching the surface. The list of sports icons extends far and wide, including stars from every corner of the sports world, each with their unique blend of talent, tenacity, and charisma.
This isn't about stats alone or just about championship rings. It's about impact. It's about those magical moments that take our breath away, the feats that defy logic, the stories that inspire and captivate. It's about the legacy these sports icons leave behind, the impact they've had both on and off the field.
Diego Armando Maradona (October 30, 1960 - November 25, 2020) was an Argentine professional footballer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. Maradona was given the nickname "El Pibe... read more In his country, "El Pibe de Oro" was always more than just a sports hero. He was a divine figure. The Houston Chronicle described Maradona perfectly: he was the combination of Michael Jordan's athleticism, Babe Ruth's power, and Mike Tyson's human fallibility. In a country that survived many social frustrations and several military dictatorships, El Diego became a symbol of hope and an idol to millions.
He was an amazing football star who motivated (may he rest in peace) many football rookies to play the game.
He was truly the pride of Argentina.
Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, when he last won an Olympic event. After the 1984 Olympics, Carl Lewis was continuously compared with Jesse Owens. But Owens' track and field career lasted only two years (1935-1936).
Carl Lewis was voted "World Athlete of the Century" by the International Association of Athletics Federations and "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee.
One of the most decorated athletes of all time.
The only disadvantage in his assessment is that he made only two individual world records in his career, both in the 100m. He didn't manage to break Beamon's and Mennea's records, although he was very close.
Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, entertainer, poet, and philanthropist. Nicknamed The Greatest, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sporting figures of the 20th century, and... read more The renowned boxing champion who showed the whole world the art of boxing.
He was globally known for his shuffle, which blinded opponents and finished fights with an amazing blow.
Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) is definitely among the greatest boxers of all time, but not the number one.
His career was exciting due to his selfish and provocative character. He had a lot of fans but enemies too. His involvement in several historic boxing matches ("The Fight of the Century" with Joe Frazier, "The Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman in Kinshasa, and the "Thrilla in Manila" again against Joe Frazier) were among the most monumental sports events of the 20th century.
All these made him one of the greatest sports icons that will be difficult to forget.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American retired professional basketball player. Widely viewed as the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan made six NBA Finals appearances in his career, winning the NBA championship each time. Michael Jordan can be considered the most talented athlete of a single sport of all time.
His name is synonymous with the word spectacle. He inspired a lot of basketball greats after him.
All of us who have seen him play are sure that we won't see anybody like him in the future. We are lucky.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as "Pelé", was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was... read more Best footballer ever, GOAT footballer ever. Those who saw him almost all agree.
None of those media-hyped fake Messi-Ronaldo propagandas. Those who research football history and are honest in their judgment know Pelé is number one.
Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, martial arts instructor, actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that is often... read more
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title at 20 years, four months and 22 days old.
Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born 11 September 1945, died 7 January 2024) was a German professional footballer and manager. Early in his playing career, he was nicknamed "Der Kaiser" because of his elegant style, dominance, and leadership on the field. His first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian... read more
The Newcomers
Joseph William Namath, nicknamed "Broadway Joe", is a former American football quarterback and actor. "Broadway Joe." From the University of Alabama, playing for Bear Bryant, to the media capital of the world, New York, Namath's Jets won the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas.
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. A small horse, Seabiscuit had an inauspicious start to his racing career, but became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression.
Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss former professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 3 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in history for a male tennis player. He has held the world No... read more
Hendrik Johannes "Johan" Cruijff (25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Cruyff was a proponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is... read more
Larry Joe Bird is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Bird is a 3x champ, 1x ROTY, 1x Finals MVP, 3x 3PT Contest winner, all with the Boston Celtics. (1979-1992)
Ayrton Senna da Silva (21 March 1960 – 1 May 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver who won three Formula One world championships for McLaren in 1988, 1990 and 1991 and is regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. He was killed in an accident while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand... read more Although I can't say that he was the best F1 driver of all time, his racing career and his death made him the greatest icon of the most distinguished sport.
Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer and the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (23), Olympic gold medals in individual events (13), and Olympic... read more He is the greatest sports icon because all the medals he won in the Olympics are recorded for his country.
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi was born on June 24, 1987. He is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for the American club, Inter Miami CF, in the MLS. Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. His birthplace is Rosario, Argentina. Football is the most popular sport in the world by far.
Lionel Messi is the greatest football icon of the 21st century.
George Herman Ruth Jr., better known as Babe Ruth, was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935.
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons. The Lakers' greatest point guard, with an amazing career and rivalry with none other than Larry Bird.
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer who is among the most successful golfers of all time.In 1993, he was named the best athlete in all Soviet and Russian history.
In my opinion, the greatest European athlete ever.
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Throughout his career, LeBron has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers, winning a total of four NBA championships. I'll give LeBron James third in the GOAT debate. He can keep up with Kobe and Jordan, but he's just not there yet.
Serena Jameka Williams is an American former professional tennis player. The Women's Tennis Association ranked her world No. 1 in singles on eight separate occasions between 2002 and 2017. She reached the No. 1 ranking for the first time on July 8, 2002.
James Francis "Jim" Thorpe was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe became the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States. Best multi-sport athlete of the modern era.
In 1950, the Associated Press elected him as the best athlete of the first half of the 20th century.
Henry Louis Aaron, nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder who served as the senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves.
Nadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian retired gymnast. She is a five-time Olympic gold medalist, all in individual events.In 1976, at the age of 14, Comăneci became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games. At the same Games (the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal),... read more