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Best Athletes

Ingemar Stenmark

The greatest&nbsp;athletes of all time: a list of the most dominant, iconic, famous&nbsp;players in the history of&nbsp;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&#39;s raw talent and born ability. Some individuals seem to prodigally gifted in their sport of choice, and it&#39;s hard to discount the importance of this kind of natural talent. However, it&#39;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&#39;s greatest all-time athletes.

For more sports news and athlete trade rumors, vote on this list of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/sports-news-blogs/blog-loblaw">sports news sites</a>.

Female Athletes

Grete Waitz

The greatest female athletes of all time: a list of the most dominant, iconic female athletes to ever play or compete in their respective sports. This list gathers female sports stars from across every professional league, association, and organization as well as amateur female 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 <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-influential-female-athletes/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top female athletes</a> of all time. The most successful female athletes ever. The female sports stars that rise to the top can be considered to be not only some of the best female athletes of all time, but some of the best athletes, no qualifier, ever. Period.

Aspects to consider in picking a female best athlete of all time would include, obviously, that player&#39;s raw talent and born ability. Some individuals seem to be prodigally gifted in their sport of choice, and it&#39;s hard to discount the importance of this kind of natural talent. However, it&#39;s also important to evaluate hard work, discipline and a commitment to the game. Some women in sports 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 female athlete of all time at all women&#39;s sports, but they have mastered their activity).

So, who are the top female athletes of all time? From Jackie Joyner-Kersee to Ronda Rousey, and beyond! Be sure to vote up your favorites, then head over and check out the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/highest-paid-female-athletes-2019/ranker-sports" target="_blank">highest-paid women in sports</a>.

Influential

The most influential athletes of all time aren't just the best stars from their respective sports, but some of the most iconic individuals in&nbsp;the sports world. Whether they broke countless records or changed the way we all look at a specific sport, they influenced generations to come and will always be remembered at the top of their class. So, who do you think are the most influential athletes ever?No matter the sport or discipline, these&nbsp;top athletes are true icons. Whether you're talking the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-new-york-yankees-of-all-time" target="_blank">New York Yankees great</a> Babe Ruth&nbsp;or NBA GOAT Michael Jordan, the athletes listed here are far from your average sports stars. Take the legendary Deion&nbsp;Sanders, for example. Not only is he considered an NFL great, he's also an established professional baseball player—proving he's one of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/all-around-best-athletes-2018/ranker-sports" target="_blank">greatest all-around athletes</a> of all time. While he's a rare case in terms of athletes, others on this list of influential sports stars have contributed greatly to their sport.&nbsp;Now, check out the list of athletes below and vote up your favorites for the most influential of all time. You can also vote athletes down, as well as add other sports icons to the list.&nbsp;

Current Sports

When it comes to the most famous athletes&nbsp;in the world right now, a select few names easily top the list. Not only that, but many of these popular players&nbsp;are also some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-athletes-of-all-time" target="_blank">best athletes</a> in their respective sport. However, while skill and statistics are surely major factors in ranking athletes by fame, the most famous athlete out doesn't have to be the very best—especially not on this list. In short, it's up to you fans to decide just who takes the title for the most famous athlete, as well as those who follow close behind.&nbsp;For starters, we all know <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-athletes/reference" target="_blank">famous male athletes</a>&nbsp;like Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Roger Federer will find themselves high on the list. Then you have <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-female-athletes/reference" target="_blank">top female athletes</a> like Serena Williams and Hope Solo. Keep in mind, though, the sport isn't necessarily a factor here. Whether you consider natural talent or straight statistics in determining who's the most famous, that's your choice. Perhaps it's who you see on TV the most, or those with the most endorsements. Whatever it is, give your input as to who makes the list of best athletes today with the most fame.&nbsp;Cast your votes for the most famous athletes below, and feel free to add any athletes missing from the list.&nbsp;

Left Handed

Martina Navratilova

The greatest left-handed athletes of all time are some of the greatest men and women to ever play baseball, basketball, football, hockey, tennis, and many other sports. These talented athletes dominated their respective sports all while being in a minority, as a left-handed person. These athletes are not by any means all of the left-handed athletes but simply the best of the left-handed sports players ever. But which athlete is best? Tell us which left-handed athlete you think was the best ever by voting, re-ranking, and adding your favorites below!While all sports will see their share of left-handed athletes, the hand orientation will affect some athletes more than others. Being left handed is something you might not notice for hockey players, such as Terry Sawchuk and Phil Esposito, basketball players, like Larry Bird and Bill Russell, or soccer players, like the great Pele, who often use both hands – or feet – regularly while playing the sport. For other sports, it's clearer when athletes use their dominant hands. Baseball has, what might, be the highest percentage of left-handed athletes of all major sports, and they are easy to spot when one takes the mound or lines up to hit. Babe Ruth is perhaps the best left-handed athlete ever but is joined by many other legendary baseball lefties, such as Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Barry Bonds. Tennis, boxing, and golf are other sports that allow southpaws shine. It's easy to spot <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/left-handed-tennis-players/left-handed">left-handed tennis players</a> like Monica Seles and John McEnroe, boxers like Oscar de la Hoya, and golfers like the great Phil Mickelson. <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-left-handed-people/left-handed">Left-handed people</a> may make up only around 10% of the population but they're some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-athletes-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top athletes of all time</a>. We'll never know if Deion Sanders would have seen the success he did had he been right handed or if Rafael Nadal would have ever become the King of Clay as a righty, but these talented athletes all persevered through their disadvantages to become legends, and we have nothing but respect for them for that.&nbsp;Who are some of the greatest left handed athletes? Take a look here and you'll see for yourself.

Athletes

Derrick Thomas

This list of athletes whose careers ended too soon includes dozens of promising athletes who for one reason or another were forced to leave the sports they loved well before they should have. Their stories are often tragic and leave their family members, teammates, opponents and fans wondering what could have happened had their careers continued. Sadly, we'll never know the answer to that one as these athletes all left their respective sports prematurely.Some of the greatest players to ever compete in sports like football, basketball, hockey and baseball were forced into retirement due to an injury. Even others were taken not only from professional sports but also from this life following a tragic incident which caused their death. Be it an injury or a complete loss of life, all of these athletes had plenty left to give but a catastrophic event changed all that.For many of these players, retiring at the top of their game was their decision after repeated injuries made it difficult to compete at a top level. Legendary Boston Bruins <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hockey-players-missing-teeth/brandon-oliver?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hockey player Bobby</a> Orr, NBA star Yao Ming and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Troy Aikman are just a few who fall into that category. Others suffered a one-time injury, sometimes on national television during a big game, that gave them no choice but to retire. Joe Theismann, a legendary National Football League quarterback, fell into that category following what is perhaps <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/memorable-oscar-moments/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the most memorable</a> hit in league history. While those players retired and often remained in the sport in a broadcasting role, others were not so lucky. Sadly, this list also includes athletes who died suddenly during their professional athletic careers. Those stories are heartbreaking, such as the up-and-coming Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart who was killed by a drunk driver and NFL-player turned U.S. Army soldier Pat Tillman who was killed serving his country. As hard as it is to find something positive from these career-ending tragedies, each of them have raised awareness about ways that incidents like this can be prevented in the future. I can't think of any better way to honor these fine athletes than making the world a brighter place.

Comedy

John McEnroe

The funniest professional athletes are the stars of the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL who don't just amaze fans with their athletic skills but also keep their fans and teammates laughing with their jokes, antics and other assorted hilarity. Should these pro athletes ever need a second job or a new career once their football, baseball, basketball or hockey days end, comedy or entertainment would be a great choice.For the most part, fans see what the athletes do on the field as they watch games in person or on television but on rare occasions we get a glimpse into how these beloved sports stars act in real life. Some athletes make that easy with their constant tweeting, like New England Patriots wide out Chad Ochocinco, the NHL's best fourth-liner Paul Bissonnette and retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. These guys aren't just some of the most followed and most active athletes on Twitter but also easily the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/funniest-athlete-tweets/sportsyeah" target="_blank">funniest athletes on Twitter</a>.Going beyond social media, other athletes let fans into their lighter side with special appearances and other online fan interactions. Baller Steve Nash, mullet-lover Jared Allen and all-star pitcher C.J. Wilson are all frequent stars of their own YouTube videos where they do all kinds of wacky things. MLB player Brian Wilson, whose beard alone could get a laugh, has also starred in hilarious videos, in between other antics like showing up to the ESPY Awards in a spandex tuxedo and filming funny commercials.Others have more of a subtle sense of humor that comes out in small doses during media appearances and locker room interviews. There is however a trend for impersonations, just as Dwight Howard, who can do a mean impersonation of coach Stan Van Gundy, or Pittsburgh Steeler Crezdon Butler who can do a hilarious impersonation of coach Mike Tomlin. However these athletes are funny, they show us a softer, more human side of our favorite sports stars. Since we can't get all of our <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/athletes-who-should-get-a-reality-show/the-round-mound " target="_blank">favorites athletes to share their lives with reality shows</a>, these brief looks into their lives, whether it's scripted comedy or just them being their funny selves, will have to do.

Smarts

Paula Radcliffe

The smartest professional athletes include Rhodes Scholars, 1580 SAT scorers, and<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/athletes-who-went-to-ivy-league-schools/people-in-sports" target="_blank"> Ivy League</a> standouts whose book smarts and pure intelligence is equally as impressive as their athletic ability. Smart athletes come from all sports with members of the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB among those who could easily be doctors, lawyers and very successful businessmen.While typically athletes are stereotyped as meatheads or big dumb animals, these athletes from football, basketball, hockey and baseball have nearly as many accomplishments off the field as they do on. These are not the athletes who skipped college or left early for the promise of big bucks playing professional sports. These are the athletes who made the tough decision to stay in school and earn a degree to carry them once their professional career ended.Take NFL safety Myron Rolle for example. He didn't just graduate premed from Florida State University in 2 1/2 years but went on to earn a master's from Oxford. He's far from the only smarty pants in the NFL though. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't just the fifth quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards in his debut but also the 2004 Ivy League MVP while pursuing an economics degree at Harvard.As if we didn't need another reason to hate be jealous of professional athletes with their fame, fortune and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/tags/wags" target="_blank">hot wives</a>, these highly successful athletes are also way <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/smartest-famous-people/celebrity-lists" target="_blank">smarter than us</a>. Some guys have all the luck!

Scandals

Albert Haynesworth

The dumbest professional athletes might not be the least intelligent athletes overall, but each is responsible for at least one really dumb decision, incident, or mistake that forever tainted their reputations. From the dumb football players who can't seem to stay out of jail to the dumb baseball players who lie about steroid use and the dumb basketball players who can't seem to stop cheating on their gorgeous NBA wives, all of these men and women are known nearly as much for their very public gaffes as they are for their athletic ability.It's really easy to single out the many NFL players who have, or currently are, serving time in the clink for legal issues, but few measure up to the many (alleged) crimes of O.J. Simpson. After being acquitted of murdering his wife and her friend in 1995, the former Heisman Trophy winner found himself sentenced to 33 years in prison after an armed robbery/kidnapping incident in Las Vegas. Though other pro football players have done horrible things, few can compare to the idiocy of Simpson. Or idiot quarterback Michael Vick fought dogs on his own property. Plaxico Burress shot himself with his own gun in a night club. Brett Favre (allegedly) sent pictures of his junk to a team staff member. All stupid moves and all, with the exception of Favre, paid a huge price for their poor decisions.Other dumb athletes either are not very book smart, like Vince Young and Morris Claiborne who scored record lows on the Wonderlic aptitude test (which measures how smart a football player is based in a series of different styles of questions), or thought they could cheat without anyone noticing. No one will ever forget those baseball players connected with the steroid era, like the shamed Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds, or even athletes like Tonya Harding who decided to <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/real-hitmen-stories/christopher-shultz?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">hire a hitman</a> to take out her closest competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. Spoiler: All of them were caught and it wasn't pretty.So from the stupid athletes who did dumb illegal things to the ones who lost the respect from their fans after public adultery incidents to those who are just not smart, all of these athletes are examples of why it's important for NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL players to abide by the law and play nice. Just because you're a rich and famous professional athlete doesn't mean you can get away with anything. Who cares if you can't beat them on the field? Take a look at this list of the dumbest athletes of all time, and you'll immediately feel superior. Because who doesn't want to sit around and think about who the dumbest NFL players are while eating a giant bowl of nachos while downing it with an inhuman amount of beer?&nbsp;

Controversial

Ray Lewis

Sports stars are one part celebrity, one part athlete. Like so many celebrities, some sports stars are prone to scandal. These sports stars are were involved some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/biggest-boxing-controversies/dannyrichman?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">biggest controversies</a> of all time, and many remain controversial figures to this day despite being retired.O.J Simpson is perhaps the biggest controversial athlete of all time, for &quot;not killing his ex-wife&quot; in 1994. Remember when one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-top-nba-players-of-all-time">best NBA players</a>&nbsp;of all time, LeBron James, took his talents to South Beach? That was definitely a case of a sports star who caused controversy. And then, of course, there's Anna Kournikova, who has caused controversy simply for <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/songs-about-beauty/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">being beautiful</a>.Which athletes do you think are the most controversial of all time? What is your definition of controversy? Is it off-the-field antics like the domestic drama surrounding Tiger Woods, or is it on-the-court antics like John McEnroe's famous profane meltdowns? Which is worse, steroids or biting off someone's ear? The choice is yours! Vote up the stars who've caused the most controversy and if we missed any scandalous athletes, add them to the controversial sport stars list!

Most Annoying

Alex Rodriguez

A CrowdRanked List the most obnoxious athletes from any sport. Rank the most annoying guys who are constantly twittering absurd posts, women who act like sports are a beauty contest, athletes that overreact over every situation, and any other annoying athletes. Make your own list, rank it as you see fit, and add any obnoxious athletes that are missing.So who are the most obnoxious athletes? Well, that depends on your defintion of obnoxious. If brash, brazen, cocky and crude fits your bill, then you'll have no problem sorthing through the people on this list. These are the most annoying American athletes, the most obnoxious sports figures and the top douchebags in spors. Vote for the least popular athletes that you can't stand.&nbsp;

poll

Mike Tyson

Athletes who waited too long to retire for one reason or another made the choice to continue playing, sometimes for several years, when really they should have thrown in the towel. These football, basketball, baseball, and hockey players, along with fighters, were once at the top of their respective sports but couldn't quit while they were ahead. Instead they played into their 40s, 50s and sometimes 60s, and sometimes hurt their teams in the process of their denial. Arguably, this list contains some of the best athletes ever to play in their respective sports. Professional basketball player Michael Jordan, hockey player Gordie Howe, and boxer Muhammad Ali are all regarded as some of the best ever but sadly they also come in as athletes who played well past their prime. Instead of stopping when they started to decline, they continued to compete and a small part of their legacy suffered because of it.Perhaps the most erroneous case of not knowing when to stop is former National Football League <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-greatest-quarterbacks-to-have-once-backed-up-brett-favre/the-day-in-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">quarterback Brett Favre</a>. Number four played atop the league for 17 seasons, mainly with the Green Bay Packers, before retiring after the 2007 season. What followed was what was called the annual Brett Favre unretirement, a process that lasted THREE YEARS. In 2008 he played (poorly) for the New York Jets, then he retired again. A few months later he returned to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2009 campaign. Lather, rinse, and repeat again in 2010. Spoiler: None of those final seasons led to a Super Bowl victory. Athletes on this list prove that just because you are great at what you do does not mean you can do it forever. We feel bad for those <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/athletes-whose-careers-ended-too-soon/sportsyeah" target="_blank">athletes whose careers ended too soon</a> due to circumstances out of their control but we also go sick of the athletes who refused to retire when they were old and washed up.&nbsp;

LeBron James

Famous athletes who could have dominated a second sport tell the story of men and women with so much athletic ability that they shouldn't be limited to being the best at just one sport when they could easily find success in several sports. Many athletes have tried to become successful two-sport athletes and few have succeeded but dozens more have the potential.This list isn't about the notable two-sport athletes like Deion Sanders, who won both the Super Bowl and a World Series, or Hershel Walker, who won the Heisman Trophy, appeared in the Winter Olympics in bobsled and competed in mixed martial arts, or Michael Jordan, who returned after retiring from the NBA to play in the MLB, or Bo Jackson, who enjoyed success playing professional football and baseball during his career. This list is about the athletes who despite having the talent to dominate two sports, stuck to one and became one of the best to ever play.For many athletes, this choice between two sports was an early one. Tom Brady for instance was selected in the MLB Draft but declined to play football. His three Super Bowl rings and numerous NFL records show he made a wise choice. Kirk Gibson was one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-nfl-wide-receiver/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best wide receivers</a> in NCAA Football but chose the MLB contract offer over the one from the NFL. He went on to win two World Series and is still active as a highly successful MLB manager. Wilt Chamberlain had the choice of track, basketball, volleyball, boxing and football in his early years. He picked basketball and for that is now a household name.These big names and so many more from professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey and other sports could have easily dominated a second sport. For one reason or another they made the tough decision to focus on one primary sport and in many cases went on to become legends in that sport. It would be tough to think that they regret the decision but one they certainly look back upon and wonder "what if?"

Babe Ruth

The greatest out-of-shape athletes don&#39;t fit the mold of the typical athlete with toned limbs and six-pack abs yet they continue to see success in their respective sports despite their extra pounds. We&#39;re not talking exclusively sumo wrestlers here either, but actual baseball, football, basketball and golf stars who excelled at professional sports despite also battling obesity. These are unfit athletes who still rocked their sports.

For some athletes, such as linebackers in the National Football League, having a few extra pounds is a good thing as it provides more leverage for blocking. Still, some NFL players take that to a whole &#39;nother level with New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth each weighing in well over the three century mark. The same can&#39;t be said for &quot;big boned&quot; football players at other positions such as Oakland Raiders placekicker Sebastian Janikowski or 2007 first overall NFL draft pick and quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

It&#39;s a similar story in the NBA where many players are well conditioned and fit while others take the definition of big and tall to another level. Shaquille O&#39;Neal fits that description perfectly coming in at 7&#39;1&quot; and 325 pounds during his playing days.

Other athletes can get away with the few extra pounds as their respective sports requires less athleticism than others to compete. Golfers are notorious for being overweight with former fatty John Daly among the most notable.

This also goes for MLB players where one of the greatest of all time, Babe Ruth, proved that success is not directly caused by weight. Baseball just might have the most overweight athletes with the likes of Cecil and Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz, and Bengie Molina all among the MLB&#39;s elite despite their large frames.

While a case could be made that at this weight these guys are not athletes or that if a sport allows participants of this size then they are not really sports but until those rules change, these athletes will continue to break the mold and continue to see success despite resembling large household appliances. Yes, William &quot;Refrigerator&quot; Perry, we&#39;re talking to you.

Who the greatest out of shape athletes? This list will give you an answer.

The best players to wear 23 as their jersey numbers are sprinkled across all major sports. It has been a popular jersey number for decades with success of athletes across the board. Iconic NBA players with number 23 jerseys include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, all Hall of Fame-level players whose career highlights are among the&nbsp;greatest moments in basketball history.&nbsp;Baseball stars have had success with the number as well with Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and Zach Greinke&nbsp;thriving with the number 23 in the MLB. Football and hockey are not too far behind with&nbsp;many superstars rocking the number in NFL and NHL history. It's all proof that anyone who wears #23 has a major legacy to live up to.So check out the list of famous athletes who wore 23 and help decide who deserves to rank the highest for wearing this iconic jersey number. Vote up your favorite athletes to wear the number 23.

The best short male athletes include World Series champions, Super Bowl winners, Stanley Cup hoisters and Olympic gold medalists but they all share one thing in common, their shorter stature. The best short athletes prove that despite their height, people of all shapes and sizes can be successful professional athletes. All 5'10&quot; or shorter, these athletes are not just the best at their height but also among the <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-athletes-of-all-time" target="_blank">best athletes of all time</a>. For a lot of these athletes, their height can work in their advantage or at least not pose a hindrance on their playing ability. Football players like Barry Sanders, Wes Welker and Ray Rice embrace their height and use it to run fast down the field to rack up yardage and touchdowns. <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-best-boxers-of-all-time" target="_blank">Top boxers</a>, such as the shorter ones like Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., are the same way with height not much of a factor to their sport.But for others, being the short guy on the team means you are already at a disadvantage before you even step on the court. That surely didn't stop great short basketball players like Spud Webb, Earl Boykins and Calvin Murphy from having successful careers. So while these short athletes might have faced adversity and been told that they would never make it, like legendary NFL player Doug Flutie was, they all worked harder and pushed further to achieve their dreams. These best short male athletes really do show that good things definitely do come in small packages.

Kris Humphries

Athletes famous only for off-court behavior are not just athletes who would be obscure without some off-field antics, these athletes are those who are household names more because of their personal or legal life, not their athletic ability. Sure we'd know who these people are for their play in football, basketball, baseball, hockey or other sports, but not at the level we know them for crazy arrests, lengthy jail sentences or marrying a Kardashian or two.For those athletes who have more Twitter followers than Snooki and those who spend more time on television or in the pages of gossip magazines than playing their sport, being known more for their off-court behavior is easy. Everyone knows NBA player Kris Humphries for his quickie marriage to a reality star (who just might have been voted a top Hollywood douchebag) but how many can tell you what team he plays basketball for? Same thing goes for Hank Baskett, Lamar Odom or Chad Johnson. They'd all be famous, but not to the extreme level they gained by being in the entertainment spotlight.Then there's the athletes who found their names in national headlines for the wrong reasons. NFL players OJ Simpson, Michael Vick and Michael Irvin would have been remembered as <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-football-players-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">great football players</a> had they not been convicted (or famously acquitted) for heinous crimes like murder, sexual assault and animal abuse. Like MLB steroid scandal figure Barry Bonds, all of these athletes will for years to come have an asterisk by their names. For whichever reason we know these names, be it from their larger-than-life personalities like Dennis Rodman or their drunken adventures like John Daly, we all know many of these athletes for what they did in their spare time not what they accomplished on the court, field or ice.

Mario Lemieux

Athletes with the coolest post-sports careers are those former professional athletes who after their playing days ended, went on to do some pretty amazing things. From those who went into politics to others who built business empires and even others who chose <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-jobs-in-the-world" target="_blank">wacky careers</a>, all of these athletes found fun new paths off the field.Nearly any former athlete can find work after their playing career ends as a broadcaster or coach of their respective sports but how many can go on to be President of the United States of America? One did it, former University of Michigan football player Gerald Ford. While few will live up to that precedent, other athletes have seen success in politics such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, who served as Governor of California, and Jesse Ventura, who was the Governor of Minnesota.Show business is another common landing place for retired athletes with the likes of Carl Weathers, Vinnie Jones and Jim Brown all seeing success on the field and on the big and small screens. Becoming a business executive would be another with former atletes making a name for themselves as the face of product lines, like George Foreman and John Madden, or even going on to own the teams in the sports they once played, like Mario Lemieux, Nolan Ryan and Michael Jordan.While not all of the <a href="/crowdranked-list/best-athletes-of-all-time" target="_blank">best athletes of all time</a> will go on to find success off the field, these special athletes with awesome post-sports careers prove that with the right determination, retired athletes can go on to long and successful careers in many other fields.

Celebrities

André the Giant

You probably didn’t even know that some of your favorite actors got their start in the sports world! In fact, several athletes found a second career in film and television, thanks to their talent on and off the field. These athletes who became actors prove that they have star power no matter what industry they’re in. From football players and pro skateboarders to soccer stars and basketball legends, plenty of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/professional-athletes-turned-actors/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">athletes turned actors</a> are shaking off the dumb jock stereotype and proving that they’ve got true emotional depth. Or at least a knack for comedic timing. Some went on to star in their <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-oprah-winfrey-network-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">own TV shows</a> and movies, other played spot-on impressions of themselves on screen. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-famous-athletes-right-now/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is the most famous athlete</a> turned actor? Sean Connery is definitely one of them. The actor best known for playing James Bond was such a good soccer player that he was offered a position with Manchester United. He ultimately declined, saying, “I realized that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and I was already 23. I decided to become an actor and it turned out to be one of my more intelligent moves.&quot;Former professional skateboarder Jason Lee has starred in the hit TV show My Name is Earl. Carl Weathers appeared in the Rocky films and he also played a parody of himself in the series Arrested Development.Are you surprised that there are so many actors who used to be athletes? Vote up the former sports stars who became the best athletic actors to ever grace the screen. Vote down the hacks who should have stuck to their first love.

Rob Gronkowski

Athletes who should get a reality show are the popular athletes in the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and other sports whose off-field lives are just as captivating as their athletic careers. When that perfect combination comes along, it's only right that these famous athletes give up what little privacy they have and allow fans to see inside their personal lives by starring on a reality television show. It's easy to pick the most successful and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-most-popular-athletes-/calistylie" target="_blank">popular professional athletes</a> to star on <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-reality-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">reality television shows</a> as everyone wants to know how these Super Bowl, NBA Championship, World Series, Stanley Cup and Olympic gold medal winners live behind the scenes. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, LeBron James of the Miami Heat, baseball star Derek Jeter, professional swimmer Michael Phelps and even all-time great boxer Mike Tyson are just a handful of names that fall into that category with each finding success in their own respective sport either recently or throughout a long career.For other athletes, they've been nominated to star on a reality show for their high-profile personal life or famous spouse. This is also sometimes prohibitive with <a href="http://www.ranker.com/tags/wags" target="_blank">athletes and their celebrity wives or girlfriends</a> too famous to ever consider reality TV. A show chronicling the lives of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen or a series following David and Victoria Beckham would certainly draw a crowd but would the couples ever agree to such a thing? Doubtful at best. For other couples, reality television is not considered that unreasonable. Many have done it before like Khloe Kardashian and NBA player Lamar Odom and NFL wideout Chad Ochocinco and Evelyn Lozada. That's where these mid-level athletes with famous wives could shine. How about a show following retired NHL player Mike Comrie and wife Hilary Duff? Or maybe a return to reality television for "Hills" star Kristin Cavallari now that she's with quarterback Jay Cutler?Any of these athletes and many more would make great stars of reality television should they agree to allow themselves to be followed around by cameras nonstop. Which athletes would you like to see get their own reality show? Add your pick and vote for the pro athletes you think would be best for reality TV below!

The Greatest Athletes Ever

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Johan Cruijff

Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON (Dutch: [ˈjoːɦɑn ˈkrœyf] (listen), internationally spelled Cruyff; 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 an exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dutch football rose from obscurity to become a powerhouse in the sport. Cruyff led the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup and received the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. At the 1974 finals, he executed a feint that subsequently was named after him, the "Cruyff Turn", a move widely replicated in the modern game. Wearing the number 14 jersey, he set a trend for wearing shirt numbers outside the usual starting line-up numbers of one to eleven.At club level, Cruyff started his career at Ajax, where he won eight Eredivisie titles, three European Cups and one Intercontinental Cup. In 1973, he moved to Barcelona for a world record transfer fee, winning La Liga in his first season and was named European Footballer of the Year. After retiring from playing in 1984, Cruyff became highly successful as manager of Ajax and later Barcelona; he remained an influential advisor to both clubs. His son Jordi also played football professionally.
In 1999, Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, and came second behind Pelé in their World Player of the Century poll. He came third in a vote organised by the French magazine France Football consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect their Football Player of the Century. He was chosen on the World Team of the 20th Century in 1998, the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.Considered to be one of the most influential figures in football history, Cruyff's style of play and his football philosophy has influenced managers and players, including the likes of Arrigo Sacchi, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Frank Rijkaard, Michael Laudrup, Eric Cantona, Peter Bosz, Óscar García Junyent and Xavi. Ajax and Barcelona are among the clubs that have developed youth academies based on Cruyff's coaching methods. His coaching philosophy helped lay the foundations for the revival of Ajax's international successes in the 1990s. Spanish football's successes at both club and international level during the years 2008 to 2012 have been cited by many as evidence of Cruyff's impact on contemporary football. France Football ranked him at No. 4 on their list of the Top 50 football managers of all time.

Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (pronounced [ˈfʁants ˈbɛkn̩ˌbaʊɐ]; born 11 September 1945) is a German former professional  footballer and manager. Early in his playing career he was nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, and also as his first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian emperors. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. A versatile player who started out as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero.Twice named European Footballer of the Year, Beckenbauer appeared 103 times for West Germany and played in three FIFA World Cups. He is one of three men, along with Brazil's Mário Zagallo and France's Didier Deschamps to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager; he lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974, and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. He was the first captain to lift the World Cup and European Championship at international level and the European Cup at club level. He was named in the World Team of the 20th Century in 1998, the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, and in 2004 was listed in the FIFA 100 of the world's greatest living players.At club level with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976. The latter feat made him the first player to win three European Cups as captain of his club. He became team manager and later president of Bayern Munich. After two spells with the New York Cosmos he was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Beckenbauer led Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup and chaired the organizing committee. He worked as a pundit for Sky Germany, and for 34 years as a columnist for the tabloid Bild, both until 2016.In August 2016, it was announced Beckenbauer was being investigated for fraud and money laundering as part of the 2006 World Cup.

Roger Federer

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Roger Federer (German pronunciation: [ˈrɔdʒər ˈfeːdərər]; born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss 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 by a male player—and has held the world No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a record total of 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks. After turning professional in 1998, he was continuously ranked in the top ten from October 2002 to November 2016.
In majors, Federer has won a record eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Open titles, five US Open titles (all consecutive, a record), and one French Open title. He is one of eight men to have achieved a Career Grand Slam. Federer has reached a record 31 men's singles Grand Slam finals, including 10 consecutively from the 2005 Wimbledon Championships to the 2007 US Open. Federer has also won a record six ATP Finals titles, 28 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles, and a record 23 ATP Tour 500 titles. Federer is also the only player after Jimmy Connors to have won 100 or more career singles titles, as well as to amass 1,200 wins in the Open Era.
Federer's all-court game and versatile style of play involve exceptional footwork and shot-making. Effective both as a baseliner and a volleyer, his apparent effortlessness and efficient movement on the court have made Federer highly popular among tennis fans. He has received the tour Sportsmanship Award 13 times and been named the ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion five times. He has won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award a record five times, including four consecutive awards from 2005 to 2008. He is also the only person to have won the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award four times.

Alfredo Di Stéfano

Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈfɾeðo ði esˈtefano]; 4 July 1926 – 7 July 2014) was an Argentine-Spanish professional footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the best footballers of all time, and is best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, where he was instrumental in the club's domination of the European Cup and La Liga during the 1950s. Along with Francisco Gento and José María Zárraga, he was one of only three players to play a part in all five victories, scoring goals in each of the five finals. Di Stéfano played international football mostly for Spain after moving to Madrid, but he also played for Argentina and Colombia. 
Di Stéfano, nicknamed "Saeta rubia" ("Blond Arrow"), was a powerful, quick, skillful, and prolific forward, with great stamina, tactical versatility, creativity, and vision, who could also play almost anywhere on the pitch. He is currently the sixth highest scorer in the history of Spain's top division, and Real Madrid's third highest league goalscorer of all time, with 216 goals in 282 league matches between 1953 and 1964. He is Madrid's leading goalscorer in the history of El Clásico, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Spain by the Royal Spanish Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players (in September 2009, he said Di Stéfano was the best Argentinian player "ever"). He was voted fourth, behind Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff, in a vote organized by France Football magazine which consulted their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect the Football Player of the Century.In 2008 Di Stefano was honoured by both UEFA and Real Madrid with a special Presidents award issued by FIFA at a ceremony in Madrid, where a statue was also unveiled. Then UEFA President Michel Platini called Di Stefano "a great amongst the greats" while contemporaries Eusébio and Just Fontaine suggested that he was "the most complete footballer in the history of the game".

julian-matthias

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM (born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team. Often considered the best player in the world and  widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo has a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards, the most for a European player, and is the first player to win four European Golden Shoes. He has won 29 trophies in his career, including six league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA European Championship, and one UEFA Nations League. A prolific goalscorer, Ronaldo holds the records for most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League (126) and the UEFA European Championship (9), as well as those for most assists in the Champions League (44) and the European Championship (6). He has scored  707 senior career goals for club and country.
Born and raised on the Portuguese island of Madeira, Ronaldo was diagnosed with a racing heart at age 15. He underwent an operation to treat his condition, and began his senior club career playing for Sporting CP, before signing with Manchester United at age 18 in 2003. After winning his first trophy in England, the FA Cup, during his first season there, he helped United win three successive Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League title, and a FIFA Club World Cup. By age 22, he had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations and at age 23, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. In 2009, Ronaldo was the subject of the most expensive association football transfer at the time when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth €94 million (£80 million). 
With Real Madrid, Ronaldo won 15 trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey and four UEFA Champions League titles. Real Madrid's all-time top goalscorer, Ronaldo scored a record 34 La Liga hat-tricks, including a record-tying eight hat-tricks in the 2014–15 season and is the only player to reach 30 goals in six consecutive La Liga seasons. After joining Madrid, Ronaldo finished runner-up for the Ballon d'Or three times, behind Lionel Messi, his perceived career rival, before winning back-to-back Ballons d'Or in 2013 and 2014. After winning consecutive Champions League titles, Ronaldo secured back-to-back Ballons d'Or again in 2016 and 2017. A historic third consecutive Champions League followed, making Ronaldo the first player to win the trophy five times. In 2018, he signed for Juventus in a transfer worth an initial €100 million; the highest ever paid by an Italian club and the highest fee ever paid for a player over 30 years old. In his first season he won Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana, and was also named Serie A Most Valuable Player.
A Portuguese international, Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation in 2015. He made his senior debut in 2003 at age 18, and has since earned over 150 caps, including appearing and scoring in ten major tournaments, becoming Portugal's most capped player and his country's all-time top goalscorer. He scored his first international goal at Euro 2004 and helped Portugal reach the final of the competition. He assumed full captaincy in July 2008, leading Portugal to their first-ever triumph in a major tournament by winning Euro 2016, and received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer of the tournament. He became the highest European international goalscorer of all-time in 2018.One of the most marketable athletes in the world, Ronaldo was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2016 and 2017 and as the world's most famous athlete by ESPN in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Time included him on their list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014. As of May 2019, Ronaldo is also the most followed user on Instagram.

Michel Platini

Michel François Platini (born 21 June 1955) is a French former football player, manager and administrator. As the president of UEFA in 2015 he was banned from football, over ethics violations. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1983, 1984 and 1985, and came sixth in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. In recognition of his achievements, he was named a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1985 and became an Officier in 1998.
During his career, Platini played for the clubs Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus. Nicknamed Le Roi (The King) for his ability and leadership. Despite primarily serving as an advanced midfield playmaker, he was a prolific goalscorer; he won the Serie A capocannoniere award three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985, and was the top scorer of Juventus's victorious 1984–85 European Cup campaign. Platini was a key player of the France national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top scorer and best player, and reached the semi-finals of the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. Together with the midfielders Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana, he formed the carré magique (magic square) of the French team in the 1980s. Platini was his country's record goalscorer until 2007, and holds the record for most goals (9) scored in the European Championship despite only appearing in the victorious 1984 edition.Following his retirement as a player, Platini was the France national team coach for four years, and was the co-organizer of the 1998 World Cup in France. In 2007, he was elected as the president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). He was the first former player to become UEFA President. He also held the positions of chairman of FIFA's Technical and Development Committee and vice-president of the French Football Federation. In 2015, however, he was banned from football administration for conflict of interest by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Ferenc Puskás

Ferenc Puskás (UK:  FERR-ench PUUS(H)-kəss, -⁠enk -⁠, -⁠ PUUSH-kash, Hungarian: [ˈfɛrɛnt͡s ˈpuʃkaːʃ]; né Purczeld; 2 April 1927 – 17 November 2006) was a Hungarian footballer and manager, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He is the son of former footballer Ferenc Puskás Senior. A prolific forward, he scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, played 4 international matches for Spain and scored 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became an Olympic champion in 1952 and led his nation to the final of the 1954 World Cup where he was named the tournament's best player. He won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), 10 national championships (5 Hungarian and 5 Spanish Primera División) and 8 top individual scoring honors. In 1995, he was recognized as the top scorer of the 20th century by the IFFHS.Puskás started his career in Hungary playing for Kispest and Budapest Honvéd. He was the top scorer in the Hungarian League on four occasions, and in 1948, he was the top goal scorer in Europe. During the 1950s, he was both a prominent member and captain of the Hungarian national team, known as the Mighty Magyars. In 1958, two years after the Hungarian Revolution, he emigrated to Spain where he played for Real Madrid. While playing with Real Madrid, Puskás won four Pichichis and scored seven goals in two European Champions Cup finals.
After retiring as a player, he became a coach. The highlight of his coaching career came in 1971 when he guided Panathinaikos to the European Cup final, where they lost 2–0 to AFC Ajax.  In 1993, he returned to Hungary and took temporary charge of the Hungarian national team. In 1998, he became one of the first ever FIFA/SOS Charity ambassadors. In 2002, the Népstadion in Budapest was renamed the Puskás Ferenc Stadion in his honor. He was also declared the best Hungarian player of the last 50 years by the Hungarian Football Federation in the UEFA Jubilee Awards in November 2003. In October 2009, FIFA announced the introduction of the FIFA Puskás Award, awarded to the player who has scored the "most beautiful goal" over the past year. He was also listed in Pelé's FIFA 100.

Lev Yashin

Lev Ivanovich Yashin (Russian: Лев Ива́нович Я́шин, 22 October 1929 – 20 March 1990), nicknamed  the "Black Spider" or the "Black Panther", was a Soviet professional footballer, considered by many as the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the sport. He was known for his athleticism, positioning, stature, bravery, imposing presence in goal, and acrobatic reflex saves.
He was also deputy chairman of the Football Federation of the Soviet Union.
Yashin earned status for revolutionising the goalkeeping position by imposing his authority on the entire defence. A vocal presence in goal, he shouted orders at his defenders, came off his line to intercept crosses and also ran out to meet onrushing attackers, done at a time when goalkeepers spent the 90 minutes standing in the goal waiting to be called into action. His performances made an indelible impression on a global audience at the 1958 World Cup, the first to be broadcast internationally. He dressed head to toe in apparent black (in truth very dark blue), thus earning his nickname the 'Black Spider', which enhanced his popularity.Yashin appeared in four World Cups from 1958 to 1970, and in 2002 was chosen on the FIFA Dream Team of the history of World Cups. In 1994, he was chosen for the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team, and in 1998 was chosen as a member of the World Team of the 20th Century. According to FIFA, Yashin saved over 150 penalty kicks in professional football – more than any other goalkeeper. He also kept over 270 clean sheets in his career, winning a gold medal at the 1956 Olympic football tournament, and the 1960 European Championships. In 1963, Yashin received the Ballon d'Or, the only goalkeeper ever to receive the award. He was voted the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS.

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Yazid Zidane (French pronunciation: ​[zinedin jazid zidan]; born 23 June 1972), nicknamed "Zizou" (pronounced [zizu]), is a French former professional football player and current manager of Real Madrid. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane was an elite playmaker, renowned for his elegance, vision, ball control and technique, and played as an attacking midfielder for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid. At club level, Zidane won two Serie A league titles with Juventus, before he moved to Real Madrid for a world record fee of €77.5 million in 2001, which remained unmatched for the next eight years. In Spain, Zidane won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League, with his left-foot volleyed winner in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final considered to be one of the greatest goals in the competition's history. Zidane also won an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup with both teams.
Capped 108 times by France, Zidane won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice in the final and being named to the All-Star Team, while also winning UEFA Euro 2000, being named Player of the Tournament. The World Cup triumph made him a national hero in France, and he received the Légion d'honneur in 1998. He also received the Golden Ball for player of the tournament at the 2006 World Cup, despite his infamous sending off in the final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. He retired as the fourth-most capped player in France history.
Zidane received many individual accolades as a player, including being named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and winning the 1998 Ballon d'Or. He was Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 1996, Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2001, and La Liga Best Foreign Player in 2002. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the world's greatest living players compiled by Pelé, and in the same year was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. Zidane is one of eight players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or, and was the ambassador for Qatar's successful bid to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first Arab country to host the tournament.After retiring as a player, Zidane transitioned into coaching, and began as his head coaching career at Real Madrid Castilla. He remained in the position for two years before taking the helm of the first team in January 2016. In his two and a half seasons with Madrid, Zidane won the UEFA Champions League an unprecedented three times consecutively, a La Liga title, a Supercopa de España, and the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup twice each. His success saw him named Best FIFA Men's Coach in 2017, but he resigned in May 2018. Following poor results by Real Madrid in the subsequent months, Zidane returned to the club as manager in March 2019.

Gerd Müller

Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (German pronunciation: [ˈɡɛɐ̯t ˈmʏlɐ]; born 3 November 1945) is a German retired footballer. A prolific striker renowned for his clinical finishing, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is regarded as one of the greatest players and goalscorers of all time.At international level with West Germany, he scored 68 goals in 62 appearances, and at club level, after 15 years with Bayern Munich, he scored a record 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and an international record 66 goals in 74 European club games. Averaging more than a goal a game with West Germany, Müller is now 17th on the list of all time international goalscorers, despite playing fewer matches than every other player in the top 25. Among the top scorers, he has the third-highest goal-to-game ratio.
Nicknamed "Bomber der Nation" ("the nation's Bomber") or simply "Der Bomber", Müller was named European Footballer of the Year in 1970. After a successful season at Bayern Munich, he scored ten goals at the 1970 FIFA World Cup for West Germany where he received the Golden Boot as top goalscorer. He scored four goals in the 1974 World Cup, including the winning goal in the final. Müller held the all-time goal-scoring record in the World Cup with 14 goals for 32 years. In 1999, Müller was ranked ninth in the European player of the Century election held by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), and he was voted 13th in the IFFHS' World Player of the Century election. In 2004, Pelé named Müller in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.

Bobby Charlton

Sir Robert Charlton  (born 11 October 1937) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, the year he also won the Ballon d'Or. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot, as well as his fitness and stamina. He was cautioned only twice in his career; once against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup, and once in a league match against Chelsea. His elder brother Jack, who was also in the World Cup-winning team, is a former defender for Leeds United and international manager.
Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Charlton made his debut for the Manchester United first-team in 1956, and over the next two seasons gained a regular place in the team, during which time he survived the Munich air disaster of 1958 after being rescued by Harry Gregg. After helping United to win the Football League First Division in 1965, he won another First Division title with United in 1967. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that won the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help them become the first English club to win the competition. He is United's second all-time leading goal scorer (249), being surpassed by Wayne Rooney, and held the distinction of being England's all-time top goal scorer (49) from May 1968 to September 2015, when again Rooney surpassed his record. Charlton held the record for most appearances for Manchester United (758), before being surpassed by Ryan Giggs in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final.He was named in the England squad for four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970), though did not play in the first. At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970, he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level. This record has since been surpassed by Bobby Moore, Peter Shilton and David Beckham
He left Manchester United to become manager of Preston North End for the 1973–74 season. He changed to player-manager the following season. He next accepted a post as a director with Wigan Athletic, then became a member of Manchester United's board of directors in 1984 and remains one as of the 2018–19 season.

George Best

George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United. Named European Footballer of the Year in 1968, he is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. A highly skilful winger, considered by several pundits to be one of the greatest dribblers in the history of the sport, Best received plaudits for his playing style, which combined pace, skill, balance, feints, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to get past defenders.In international football, Best was capped 37 times for Northern Ireland between 1964 and 1977. A combination of the team's performance and his lack of fitness in 1982 meant that he never played in the finals of a major tournament. He considered his international career as being "recreational football", with the expectations placed on a smaller nation in Northern Ireland being much less than with his club. He is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have played at a World Cup. The Irish Football Association described him as the "greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland".With his good looks and playboy lifestyle, Best became one of the first media celebrity footballers, earning the nickname "El Beatle" in 1966, but his extravagant life style led to various personal problems, most notably alcoholism, which he suffered from for the rest of his life. These issues affected him on and off the field, often causing controversy. Although conscious of his problems, he was publicly not contrite about them; he said of his career: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds [women] and fast cars – the rest I just squandered". After football, he spent some time as a football analyst, but his financial and health problems continued into his retirement. He died in 2005, age 59, due to complications from the immunosuppressive drugs he needed to take after a liver transplant in 2002.

Marco van Basten

Marcel "Marco" van Basten (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɑrkoː vɑn ˈbɑstə(n)] (listen); born 31 October 1964) is a Dutch football manager and former professional football player, who played for Ajax and A.C. Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team, as a striker. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He scored 300 goals in a high-profile career, but played his last match in 1993 at age 28 due to an injury which forced his retirement two years later. He was later the head coach of Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
Playing for the Netherlands, Van Basten won UEFA Euro 1988 where he was named player of the tournament, scoring five goals that included a memorable volley in the final against the Soviet Union. At club level, he won three Eredivisie titles and the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax, and three Serie A titles and five European Cups with Milan
Known for his close ball control, attacking intelligence, impeccable headers, and spectacular strikes and volleys, Van Basten was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992. Perhaps due to van Basten's versatility as a player, however, most commentators fail to notice that his headers were among the most (if not the most) elegant and creative in the history of football. In 1998, he was ranked sixth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll, tenth in the European player of the Century election held by the IFFHS and 12th in the IFFHS' World Player of the Century election. He was also voted eighth in a poll organised by the French magazine France Football, consulting their former Ballon d'Or winners to elect the Football Player of the Century. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. In 2004, a poll for the 100 greatest Dutch people was held in the Netherlands: Van Basten ranked number 25, the second highest for a football player, behind Johan Cruyff. In 2007, Sky Sports ranked Van Basten first on its list of great athletes who had their careers cut short.

Larisa Latynina

Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (Ukrainian: Лариса Семенівна Латиніна, Russian: Лари́са Семёновна Латы́нина; née Diriy; born 27 December 1934) is a former Soviet artistic gymnast from southern Ukrainian SSR. Between 1956 and 1964 she won 14 individual Olympic medals and four team medals. She holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals by a gymnast, male or female, with 9. Her total of 18 Olympic medals was a record for 48 years. She held the record for individual event medals with 14 for 52 years.  She is credited with helping to establish the Soviet Union as a dominant force in gymnastics.

Bobby Moore

Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore OBE (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He most notably played for West Ham United, captaining the club for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England national team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time, and was cited by Pelé as the greatest defender that he had ever played against.Widely regarded as West Ham's greatest ever player, Moore played over 600 games for the club during a 16 year tenure, winning the FA Cup in 1963–64 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1964–65. During his time at the club he won the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1964 and the West Ham Player Of The Year in 1961, 1963, 1968 and 1970. In August 2008, West Ham United officially retired his number 6 shirt, 15 years after his death.Moore was made captain of England in 1964, at age 23, going on to lift the World Cup trophy in 1966. He won a total of 108 caps for his country, which at the time of his international retirement in 1973 was a national record. This record was later broken by Peter Shilton. Moore's total of 108 caps continued as a record for an outfield player until 28 March 2009, when David Beckham gained his 109th cap. Moore is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century. A national team icon, a bronze statue of Moore is positioned at the entrance to Wembley Stadium.
A composed central defender, Moore was best known for his reading of the game and ability to anticipate opposition movements, thereby distancing himself from the image of the hard-tackling, high-jumping defender. Receiving the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1966, he was the first footballer to win the award and he remained the only one for a further 24 years. Moore was given an OBE in the New Year Honours List. He was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as a player and in the same year he was named in the BBC's list of the 100 Greatest Britons.

Lothar Matthäus

Lothar Herbert Matthäus (German pronunciation: [ˈloːtaːɐ̯ maˈtɛːʊs];  born 21 March 1961) is a German football manager and former player. After captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup where he lifted the World Cup trophy, he was named European Footballer of the Year. In 1991, he was named the first ever FIFA World Player of the Year, and remains the only German to have received the award.
Matthäus held the record of having played in five FIFA World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998), more than any other outfield player in men's football, until the 2018 World Cup, in which Mexico's Rafael Márquez equalled his record in a 1–0 victory over Germany, and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played by a single player (25 games). He was the captain of the West German team that won the 1990 World Cup in Italy and also was captain of the German squad in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He also won UEFA Euro 1980, and played in the 1984, 1988, and 2000 UEFA European Football Championships.  In 1999, aged 38, he was again voted German Footballer of the Year, having previously won the award in 1990.
Matthäus is the most capped German player of all time, retiring with a total of 150 appearances (83 for West Germany) in 20 years, and 23 goals. Matthäus is a member of the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living football players chosen by Pelé. Diego Maradona said of Matthäus, "he is the best rival I've ever had. I guess that's enough to define him", in his book Yo soy el Diego (I am the Diego).A versatile and complete player, Matthäus is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and was renowned for his perceptive passing, positional sense, well-timed tackling, as well as powerful shooting. During his career, he usually played as a box-to-box midfielder, although late in his career he played as a sweeper.

Sir Stanley Matthews

Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the British game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing football, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. Matthews' nicknames included "The Wizard of the Dribble" and "The Magician".Matthews kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50 years old. Matthews was also the oldest player ever to play in England's top football division (50 years and 5 days) and the oldest player ever to represent the country (42 years and 104 days). He was also an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to the English game.He spent 19 years with Stoke City, playing for the Potters from 1932 to 1947, and again from 1961 to 1965. He helped Stoke to the Second Division title in 1932–33 and 1962–63. Between his two spells at Stoke he spent 14 years with Blackpool, where, after being on the losing side in the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup finals, he helped Blackpool to win the cup with a formidable personal performance in the "Matthews Final" of 1953. Between 1934 and 1957 he won 54 caps for England, playing in the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 1954, and winning nine British Home Championship titles.
Following an unsuccessful stint as Port Vale's general manager between 1965 and 1968, he travelled around the world, coaching enthusiastic amateurs. The most notable of his coaching experiences came in 1975 in South Africa, where in spite of the harsh apartheid laws of the time he established an all-black team in Soweto known as "Stan's Men".

Rafael Nadal

Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera (Catalan: [rəf(ə)ˈɛl nəˈðal pəˈɾeɾə], Spanish: [rafaˈel naˈðal paˈɾeɾa]; born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player, currently ranked world No. 2 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).Nadal has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, the second most in history for a male player, as well as a record 35 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles, 20 ATP Tour 500 titles, and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. In addition, Nadal has held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 196 weeks. In majors, Nadal has won a record twelve French Open titles, three US Open titles, two Wimbledon titles, and one Australian Open title. Nadal has won 83 career titles overall, including a record 59 clay court titles. With 81 consecutive match wins on clay, Nadal holds the record for the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
Nadal was a member of the winning Spain Davis Cup team in 2004, 2008, 2009, and 2011. In 2010, he became the seventh male player in history and youngest of five in the Open Era, at age 24, to achieve the Career Grand Slam. He is the second male player, after Andre Agassi, to complete the singles Career Golden Slam. In 2011, Nadal was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.

Ruud Gullit

Ruud Gullit, OON (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈryt ˈxʏlɪt] (listen); born Rudi Dil; 1 September 1962) is a Dutch football manager and former footballer who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s as a midfielder or forward. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at UEFA Euro 1988 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1992.
At club level, in 1987 he moved from PSV to Milan for a world record transfer fee. Easily recognizable with his distinctive dreadlocks and moustache, he was part of the famed Dutch trio at Milan which included Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard. Gullit won three Serie A titles and two European Cups with Milan. In 1996, he signed for Chelsea and a year later was appointed the club's player-manager. In his debut season, he led Chelsea to FA Cup success, the club's first major title for 26 years, and  in so doing became the first overseas manager to win the FA Cup.
Gullit won the Ballon d'Or in 1987 and was named the World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989. Normally an attacking midfielder, he was a versatile player, playing in numerous positions during his career. In 2004, he was named one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration.

Gordon Banks

Gordon Banks  (30 December 1937 – 12 February 2019) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He made 679 appearances during a 20-year professional career, and won 73 caps for England, highlighted by starting every game of the nation's 1966 World Cup victory.
Banks joined Chesterfield in March 1953, and played for their youth team in the 1956 FA Youth Cup final. He made his first team debut in November 1958, and was sold to Leicester City for £7,000 in July 1959. He played in four cup finals for the club, as they were beaten in the 1961 and 1963 FA Cup finals, before winning the League Cup in 1964 and finishing as finalists in 1965. Despite this success, and his World Cup win in 1966, he was dropped by Leicester and sold on to Stoke City for £50,000 in April 1967. In the 1970 World Cup, he made one of the game's great saves to prevent a Pelé goal, but was absent due to illness as England were beaten by West Germany at the quarter-final stage.
Banks was Stoke City's goalkeeper in the 1972 League Cup win—the club's only major honour. He was still Stoke and England's number one when a car crash in October 1972 cost him both the sight in his right eye, and eventually, his professional career. He played two last seasons in the United States for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1977 and 1978, and despite only having vision in one eye, was NASL Goalkeeper of the Year in 1977 after posting the best defensive record in the league. He briefly entered management with Telford United, but left the game in December 1980.
Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Banks was named FWA Footballer of the Year in 1972, and was named FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year on six occasions. The IFFHS named Banks the second-best goalkeeper of the 20th century, after Lev Yashin (1st) and ahead of Dino Zoff (3rd).

Xavi

Xavier Hernández Creus (Catalan: [ˈʃaβi əɾˈnandəs ˈkɾɛws], Spanish: [ˈtʃaβj eɾˈnandeθ ˈkɾeus]; born 25 January 1980) is a retired Spanish professional footballer who played as a midfielder, and is currently the manager of QSL football club Al Sadd. He is known for his long spells playing for Barcelona (17 years) and internationally for Spain (133 caps).
Xavi joined La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, at age 11, and made his first-team debut against Mallorca in August 1998. In all, he played over 700 matches, a club record, and scored 85 goals. Xavi is the first player in the club's history to play 150 European and Club World Cup matches. Highly regarded for his humble persona and team ethos, Xavi is viewed as being the embodiment of the tiki-taka passing style of play, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest central midfielders of all time. He is also considered by many to be the greatest Spanish player ever.With Spain, Xavi won the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999, and the Olympic silver medal at the 2000 Olympics. After making his senior team debut in 2000, he was capped 133 times for the Spain national team, and was an influential figure in the team's successes. He played an integral role in Spain's victory at the 2010 World Cup, as well as their wins at both Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. He was named Player of the Tournament by UEFA at Euro 2008, and was named in the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012. At Euro 2012, with his two assists in the final, Xavi became the first player to register assists in two separate Euro finals, having set up the only goal in the final four years earlier. He had a 91% passing success rate at the 2010 World Cup and was named in the World Cup All-Star Team. After the 2014 World Cup, Xavi announced his retirement from international football.With Barcelona, Xavi won eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. He has won 31 trophies for Barcelona and Spain, a total only surpassed by Andrés Iniesta as the most decorated Spanish player in history. He came third in the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year, followed by third place for its successor award, the FIFA Ballon d'Or, in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, he was runner up to Lionel Messi for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. He has been awarded the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker award for four years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. Xavi has been included in the UEFA Team of the Year for five years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), and has been voted into the FIFA World XI on six occasions: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. He was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports in 2012.



Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic (Serbian: Новак Ђоковић, romanized: Novak Đoković, pronounced [nôʋaːk dʑôːkoʋitɕ] (listen); born 22 May 1987) is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).Djokovic has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles, five ATP Finals titles, 33 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles, 12 ATP Tour 500 titles, and has held the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for over 260 weeks. In majors, he has won a record seven Australian Open titles, five Wimbledon titles, three US Open titles, and one French Open title. Following his victory at the 2016 French Open, he became the eighth player in history to achieve the Career Grand Slam and the third man to hold all four major titles at once, the first since Rod Laver in 1969 and the first ever to do so on three different surfaces. He is the first and only male player to have won all nine of the Masters 1000 tournaments.Djokovic is the first Serbian player to be ranked No. 1 by the ATP and the first male player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title. He is a six-time ITF World Champion and a five-time ATP year-end No. 1 ranked player. Djokovic has won numerous awards, including the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year (four times) and the 2011 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award. He is also a recipient of the Order of St. Sava, the Order of Karađorđe's Star, and the Order of the Republika Srpska.

Sándor Kocsis

Sándor Péter Kocsis (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈʃaːndor ˈpeːtɛr ˈkot͡ʃiʃ]; 21 September 1929 – 22 July 1979) was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary as a striker. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars. After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, he moved to Spain where he became a member of the FC Barcelona team of the late 1950s.
Kocsis was a prolific goalscorer for both Budapest Honvéd and Hungary. While playing for Honvéd, he was the top goal scorer in any European league in both 1952 and 1954. He also scored 75 goals in 68 appearances for Hungary – a 1.10 goal/game average at the game's highest level. Kocsis was the top goal scorer in the 1954 World Cup with 11 goals, being the first player to score two hat tricks in a World Cup. His 2.2 goal/game average in the World Cup finals is second only to that of Ernst Wilimowski who scored four goals in his only World Cup match, and only Just Fontaine has scored more goals than Kocsis in a single World Cup. Kocsis was particularly known for scoring headers.
His 1.103 goals/game average is ranked No.1 for players past 43 caps in FIFA class-A competition, closely followed by Gerd Müller with 1.097 goals/game (68 scores in 62 games), and are the only two players in history above a +1.0 goals/game average encompassing more than 43 internationals. Ferenc Puskás with .99 goals/game (84 goals in 85 matches) is currently ranked 3rd.
Sándor Kocsis registered seven hat tricks for Hungary.

Luís Figo

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo OIH (Portuguese pronunciation: [luˈiʃ ˈfiɣu]; born 4 November 1972) is a retired Portuguese professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan before retiring on 31 May 2009. He won 127 caps for the Portugal national team, a record at the time but later broken by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Renowned for his creativity and ability to get past defenders as a winger, Figo is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. His 106 assists are the second-most in La Liga history, behind Lionel Messi. He won the 2000 Ballon d'Or, 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, and in 2004 Pelé named him in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Figo is one of the few football players to have played for both Spanish rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid. His controversial transfer in 2000 from Barcelona to bitter rivals Real Madrid set a world record fee of €62 million.Figo had a successful career highlighted by several trophy wins, including the Portuguese Cup, four La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups, three Spanish Super Cups, one UEFA Champions League title, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, four Serie A titles, one Italian Cup and three Italian Super Cups. On the international level, he scored 32 goals for Portugal, representing the nation at three European Championships and two World Cups, helping them reach the final but finish as runners-up at Euro 2004.

Raymond Kopa

Raymond Kopa (French pronunciation: ​[ʁɛmɔ̃ kɔpa]; birth name Raymond Kopaszewski; 13 October 1931 – 3 March 2017) was a French footballer, integral to the French national team of the 1950s. At club level he was part of the legendary Real Madrid team of the 1950s, winning three European Cups.
Often considered one of the leading players of his generation, Kopa was a free-role advanced playmaker who was quick, agile and known for his love of dribbling. He was also a renowned playmaker, as well as a prolific scorer. In 1958, Kopa was awarded the Ballon d'Or. In 1970, he became the first football player to receive the Légion d'honneur, and in 2004, Pelé named him one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony.

List of The Best European Athletes of All Time, ranked by the combined opinions of 3570 people as of January 2021. Add your votes to this ultimate ranking.