The greatest athletes of all time: a list of the most dominant, iconic, famous players in the history of sports. This list gathers sports stars from across every professional league, as well as amateur athletes who may have never competed professionally, in one overall list. Though it may be challenging to compare performance in a variety of different competitive arenas requiring different skill sets, this list nevertheless attempts to distinguish the top, highest-performing and most successful athletes ever to play. The sports stars that rise to the top can be considered to be the best athletes of all time.
Aspects to consider in picking a best athlete of all time would include, obviously, that player's raw talent and born ability. Some individuals seem to prodigally gifted in their sport of choice, and it's hard to discount the importance of this kind of natural talent. However, it's also important to evaluate hard work, discipline and a commitment to the game. Some athletes may not have the natural, genetic ability to dunk a basketball or hit a home run, but nonetheless have trained to the point of reaching these goals all the same. (They may not be the greatest athlete of all time at all sports, but they have mastered their activity.)
Finally, it can be a challenge to compare an athlete who competed in a solo competition with a member of a well known sports organization or club. How do you look at the achievements of, say, a boxer like Muhammad Ali alongside an athlete like Michael Jordan, who had to not only perform to his own best abilities but work as a cohesive unit along with other members of his team? These are the questions that must be answered when compiling a list of the world's greatest all-time athletes.
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43,45329,442Muhammad Ali
Louisville, KentuckyMuhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an... more2
25,45016,472Carl Lewis
Birmingham, AlabamaFrederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field... more- 333,24925,792
Usain Bolt
Sherwood Content, JamaicaUsain St Leo Bolt (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter. He is a world... more - 431,75025,415
Roger Federer
Basel, Switzerland← Roger Federer (German pronunciation: [ˈrɔdʒər ˈfeːdərər]; born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss... more - 548,68228,182
Michael Jordan
New York City, New YorkMichael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American... more - 624,06914,292
Diego Maradona
Lanús, ArgentinaDiego Armando Maradona (30 October 1960 – 25 November 2020) was an Argentine retired... more - 738,87525,844
Michael Phelps
Towson, BaltimoreMichael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American retired competitive swimmer and the... more - 840,98731,487
LeBron James
Akron, OhioLeBron Raymone James Sr. (born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball... more - 918,10715,204
Ayrton Senna
São Paulo, BrazilAyrton Senna da Silva (Brazilian Portuguese: [aˈiʁtõ ˈsẽnɐ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ] (listen); 21 March 1960... more - 1035,26525,653
Babe Ruth
Pigtown, BaltimoreGeorge Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American... more - 1115,47612,110
Steve Hooker
Kew, AustraliaSteven "Steve" Leslie Hooker OAM (born 16 July 1982 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian... more - 1240,60727,466
Lionel Messi
Rosario, ArgentinaLionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾez ˈmesi] (listen); born... more - 1316,78413,492
Janica Kostelić
Zagreb, CroatiaJanica Kostelić (Croatian pronunciation: [janitsa kǒstelitɕ]; born 5 January 1982) is a former... more - 1419,08415,663
Larry Bird
West Baden Springs, French Lick TownshipLarry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player,... more - 1520,50913,572
Martina Navratilova
Prague, Czech RepublicMartina Navratilova (Czech: Martina Navrátilová pronounced [mar'cɪna navˈraːcɪlovaː]; born... more - 1621,23318,630
Jesse Owens
Oakville, AlabamaJames Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and... more - 1716,45914,525
Mario Lemieux
Montreal, CanadaMario Lemieux, (; French: [ləmjø]; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional... more - 1819,42117,173
Jack Nicklaus
Upper Arlington, OhioJack William Nicklaus, nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is a retired American professional golfer.... more - 1916,21314,330
Sixten Jernberg
Malung, SwedenEdy Sixten Jernberg (6 February 1929 – 14 July 2012) was a Swedish cross-country skier and one... more - 2028,76425,462
Pelé
Três Corações, BrazilEdson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈɛtsõ (w)ɐˈɾɐ̃tʃiz du nɐsiˈmẽtu];... more - 2118,97216,782
Michael Schumacher
Hürth, GermanyMichael Schumacher (born 3 January 1969) is a retired German racing driver who raced in... more - 2216,71214,777
Henrik Sedin
Örnsköldsvik, SwedenHenrik Lars Sedin (born 26 September 1980) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey centre... more - 2316,17514,295
Lev Yashin
Moscow, RussiaLev Ivanovich Yashin (Russian: Лев Ива́нович Я́шин, 22 October 1929 – 20 March 1990),... more - 2415,76213,936
Björn Borg
Stockholm, SwedenBjörn Rune Borg (Swedish pronunciation: [bjœːɳ bɔrj] (listen); born 6 June 1956) is a Swedish... more - 2515,93614,084
Andreas Thorkildsen
Kristiansand, NorwayAndreas Thorkildsen (born 1 April 1982) is a retired Norwegian track and field athlete who... more
