The Most Inspirational Sports Movies

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated January 22, 2021 51.9k votes 5.9k voters 234.2k views150 items

List RulesMovies must feature sports and inspiration

From football movies to baseball films, these are the most inspirational sports movies of all time. This list of the best sports films has been chosen by the wisdom of the crowd, which means anyone can vote up their favorite inspirational sports movies.

What are the most inspirational sports movies? You can pick from favorites like Rudy and The Natural and vote for the best inspirational sports film. You can even add your own list of the best sports movies to these rankings. Whether you're a film geek, a sports fan, or a little bit of both, this list is a winning play when it comes to finding the best movies about sports.

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A League of Their Own
Madonna, Tom Hanks
Released: 1992
Directed by: Penny Marshall
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account... more
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Miracle
Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson
Released: 2004
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Miracle is a 2004 American sports docudrama about the United States men's hockey team, led by... more
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Rudy
Vince Vaughn, Sean Astin
Released: 1993
Directed by: David Anspaugh
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life... more
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Coach Carter
Samuel L. Jackson, Channing Tatum
Released: 2005
Directed by: Thomas Carter
Coach Carter is a 2005 American biographical teen sports drama film directed by Thomas Carter,... more
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#2 of 33 The 30+ Best Black Sports Movies Ever Made#4 of 40 The Most Inspirational Black Movies
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Brian's Song
Dick Butkus, James Caan
Released: 1971
Directed by: Buzz Kulik
Brian's Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian... more
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The Natural
Kim Basinger, Robert Redford
Released: 1984
Directed by: Barry Levinson
The Natural is a 1984 sports drama. It is a film adaptation of Bernard Malamud's 1952 baseball... more
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Secretariat
Diane Lane, John Malkovich
Released: 2010
Directed by: Randall Wallace
Secretariat is a 2010 biographical sports drama film produced and released by Walt Disney... more
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Rocky
Sylvester Stallone, Joe Frazier
Released: 1976
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. A small-time boxer... more
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Rocky Balboa
Sylvester Stallone, Milo Ventimiglia
Released: 2006
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Rocky Balboa is the sixth installment in the Rocky franchise, written, directed by, and... more
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The Rookie
Dennis Quaid, Brian Cox
Released: 2002
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
The Rookie is a 2002 sports drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and produced by Walt... more
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Jerry Maguire
Tom Cruise, Lucy Liu
Released: 1996
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama sports film written, produced and... more
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Hoosiers
Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper
Released: 1986
Directed by: David Anspaugh
Hoosiers is a 1986 sports film directed by David Anspaugh. A coach with a checkered past (Gene... more
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42
Chadwick Boseman, Nicole Beharie
Released: 2013
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
42 is a 2013 American biographical sports film directed by Brian Helgeland. The powerful story... more
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The Replacements
Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman
Released: 2000
Directed by: Howard Deutch
The Replacements is a 2000 American sports comedy film directed by Howard Deutch. It stars... more
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Field of Dreams
Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
Released: 1989
Directed by: Phil Alden Robinson
Field of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, who... more
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Moneyball
Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill
Released: 2011
Directed by: Bennett Miller
Moneyball is an American 2011 biographical sports drama film directed by Bennett Miller from a... more
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Bull Durham
Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon
Released: 1988
Directed by: Ron Shelton
Bull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy sports film. It is partly based upon the minor... more
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Any Given Sunday
Cameron Diaz, Al Pacino
Released: 1999
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone depicting a fictional... more
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#57 of 204 The Best Sports Movies Ever Made#58 of 261 The Best Ensemble Movies
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McFarland, USA
Kevin Costner, Maria Bello
Released: 2014
Directed by: Niki Caro
McFarland, USA is an American 2015 sports drama film directed by Niki Caro and produced by... more
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The Karate Kid
Elisabeth Shue, Ralph Macchio
Released: 1984
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts romantic drama film directed by John G.... more
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Rocky V
Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith
Released: 1990
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Rocky V is a 1990 American film. The fifth film in the Rocky series, written by and starring... more
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Angels in the Outfield
Matthew McConaughey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Released: 1994
Directed by: William Dear
Angels in the Outfield is a 1994 remake of the 1951 film of the same name. The film stars... more
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Soul Surfer
Carrie Underwood, Helen Hunt
Released: 2011
Directed by: Sean McNamara
Soul Surfer is a 2011 American biopic drama film directed by Sean McNamara. It is a film... more
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For Love of the Game
Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston
Released: 1999
Directed by: Sam Raimi
For Love of the Game is a 1999 American drama sports film based on the novel of the same title... more
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The Sandlot
James Earl Jones, Denis Leary
Released: 1993
Directed by: David M. Evans
The Sandlot, also known as The Sandlot Kids, is a 1993 American coming-of-age film Comedy... more
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