Since the Big Bang, which took place billions of years ago, athletes have been the center of the universe. These iconic stars who rule their sport are beloved by spectators, media, and professionals. Some are the best basketball players to ever play the game, while others are kings of the gridiron and football field. Many legendary athletes broke home run records in baseball or held the record for the longest time as the top tennis player. Popular athletes are frequently treated like royalty by the general public and the media
Famous athletes often take on the role of the king or queen of their sport. Once they reach the pinnacle of their sport, athletes become the biggest stars in the world and frequently transcend time. They break world records, become the highest-paid athletes, and win world championships. This frequently results in million-dollar endorsement deals with the best brands and an indelible place in sports history. 19 of the most well-known sports figures in the world are shown below
1. Ali, Muhammad
mark reinstein via Shutterstock
The greatest athlete of all time, Muhammad Ali, must be included on any list of the top athletes. Ali, who is frequently regarded as the best boxer, became well-known for his derogatory persona, quick footwork, and skills. He won the heavyweight world championship in 1964 but relinquished it after electing not to serve in the Vietnam War
To establish his place in boxing history, he returned four years later. The “Fight of the Century” was one of Ali’s three well-known fights against Joe Fraizer. In the renowned “Rumble in the Jungle,” he famously defeated Geroge Foreman to reclaim his heavyweight world title
2. Mr
Michael Jordan by Lev Radin for Shutterstock The legendary Michael Jordan stands head and shoulders above all other great NBA players
He rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s while playing for the Chicago Bulls. With his entertaining play, prolific scoring, and charisma on the court, Michael Jordan, better known as Air Jordan, brought basketball to new heights. Jordan went beyond being a well-known athlete to become a legend and cultural icon
He currently owns the NBA team Charlotte Hornets in addition to serving as the face of the Air Jordan Nike brand. In his career, Jordan won four Olympic gold medals, six NBA World Championships, and six NBA Finals. 3
Serena Williams. Source: Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock
Without a doubt, Serena Williams is the best tennis player who has ever lived
Few great tennis players can match Williams’ accomplishments and abilities, despite the fact that there have been many. A new generation of tennis players followed Williams’ example. She dominated all rivals, holding the number one spot in the Women’s Tennis Association for 319 weeks. Williams has won 23 grand slam tournaments, including the Wimbledon, Australian, French, and US Opens
Williams is one of the select few athletes to have completed both a career Grand Slam and a career Golden Slam. She also won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics
4. Gretzky, Wayne Deborah Wong/Shutterstock Wayne Gretzky, also referred to as The Great One, is unmatched in the NHL
He is simply the best hockey player to ever lace up a pair of skates
Gretzky had superior shooting, endurance, and intelligence than any other player. He had an amazing ability to avoid checks and could see ten steps ahead. Among Gretzky’s many accomplishments are his three Stanley Cup victories with the Edmonton Oilers and one championship with the Los Angeles Kings. Grezty coached the Phoenix Coyotes while wearing his number 99’s jersey, which was later retired
5. Bryant, Kobe
plavi011/Shutterstock. The legendary Kobe Bryant stands head and shoulders above all the other legends in a sport rife with them
Bryant, also referred to as Black Mamba, frequently comes up when discussing the best NBA player of all time
He spent all of his playing time with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he helped the group win five NBA titles. In terms of abilities, proficiency, and leadership, the two-time NBA Finals MVP was unmatched. Unfortunately, in 2020, a tragic helicopter crash claimed the lives of Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and several other people
6. Caleb Kaepernick Ga Fullner/Shutterstock Today’s most well-known football player is likely Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick gained fame as the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers after excelling as a college football player. He is best known for taking a knee before games to protest racial injustice and police brutality
His deeds generated considerable media attention and caused discord among fans across the nation
He spent several years without being signed after leaving the 49ers, but he is getting ready to make a comeback. 7. Brady, Tom ESPN/YouTube. Tom Brady, the quarterback, changed the National Football League forever when he took the field for the first time
As the New England Patriots dominated the NFL, he quickly emerged as their most prized asset
Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories and is regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, and together they won Super Bowl LV
Brady is undoubtedly the NFL MVP and one of the all-time great football players because he has been selected to the most Pro Bowls
8. Babe Ruth. YouTube or reading history
Babe Ruth, a member of the New York Yankees, went beyond his status as a baseball legend to gain popularity as a beloved cultural figure. Ruth’s incredible home runs and persona helped baseball gain popularity in the 1920s
Ruth was a fantastic player who consistently hit the ball far beyond the mark. Although he began his career with the Boston Red Sox, he is most closely associated with the storied Yankees
Ruth, also known as the Sultan of Swat, won seven World Series championships—four with the Yankees and three with the Red Sox
The Bambino is among the most well-known athletes in sports history. 9 Messi, Lionel Christian Bertrand/Shutterstock Linoel Messi is well-known to everyone in the world. Messi, arguably the best football player to ever play, was the highlight of F
C. Barcelona for a long time. He currently holds the La Liga record for most goals scored while leading the team to numerous victories
Later, he quit the group to join Paris Saint-Germain F. C
where he keeps dominating the game of soccer
In 2014, Messi served as captain of the Argentina national team, which he led to the FIFA World Cup finals. 10. L. B. James. Tinseltown/Shutterstock. LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, having won two Olympic gold medals and four NBA World Championships. James became a well-known sports icon thanks to his dominance, vision, and unmatched abilities
James, who is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, previously played for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, two teams that he dominated
James was immediately compared to NBA legend Michael Jordan by onlookers and media members as soon as he stepped onto the court. More information can be found at Top 10 Nutrition Advice for Athletes
11
Mia Hamm U. S
Soccer/YouTube. One of the greatest female soccer players in history, Mia Hamm is regarded as a legend in the sport
She helped the Women’s United Soccer Association become more well-known and recognized for her extraordinary abilities
She played a key role in helping the American women’s national team win two FIFA Women’s World Cups and two gold medals at the Olympics. One of the most well-known athletes today is without a doubt Hamm
12. Mr. Michael Phelps Flickr user Petr Toman Without a doubt, Michael Phelps embodies what an Olympian should be
The legendary competitive swimmer achieved widespread notoriety after a standout performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He finished those competitions with a record-breaking eight gold medals
He continued to rule the Olympics, taking home 28 medals to become the Olympian with the most awards. In addition to having records in the 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter freestyle, he holds the men’s 400-meter individual medley record
13. Armstrong, Lance
stock_photo_world/Shutterstock
In the 1990s, Lance Armstrong gained notoriety as a well-known road cyclist who won every competition he entered. After signing several significant endorsement contracts, he rose to prominence as the face of cycling. Armstrong’s legacy as a sports icon was cemented by his seven Tour de France victories following his cancer recovery
After becoming the subject of a doping investigation, he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong will go down in history as the most infamous athlete of all time after being barred from participating in any sports that uphold the World Anti-Doping Code
14. Taylor Woods fotosteve/Shutterstock
Talking about the most well-known athletes would be impossible without bringing up golfing legend Tiger Woods
Woods, who is frequently regarded as the best golfer ever, dominated several PGA Tours and broke numerous records. He held the top spot in the sport for the majority of his career. After a contentious public divorce, Woods lost the majority of his endorsement deals and experienced a decline in his career
However, Woods is having a remarkable comeback in his career. 15
McGregor, Conor. Shutterstock/Keith J
Finks The greatest and most contentious UFC fighter to enter the octagon is Conor McGregor
He was the first person to hold two championships in various weight classes because he simultaneously held the UFC lightweight and featherweight titles. His infamous UFC 229 match with Khabib Nurmagomedov set an MMA pay-per-view record with 2. 4 million purchases
McGregor famously fell short against Floyd Mayweather Jr. setting another PPV record with four in his professional boxing debut
3 million purchases. 16
Kholi, Virat
Cricbuzz/YouTube. Nobody can match Virat Kholi’s level in the sport of cricket
The influential cricketer is actually one of the most well-known athletes in the world right now. In the Indian Premier League, he plays for Delhi and is the star player for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is possibly the greatest batsman of all time and is debatably the best of his generation. Few cricketers have achieved Kholi’s level of success as the former captain of India’s national team. 17
Rafael Nadal. by Lev Radin for Shutterstock One of the most well-known athletes to ever pick up a racquet is Roger Federer, who was born in Sweden
Federer, along with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, dominated the sport with unmatched talent and skill
He held the top spot among tennis players for 310 weeks, according to the Association of Tennis Professionals. Federer won the US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon before completing his career Grand Slam in 2009. With 20 Grand slam singles titles, he is one of tennis’ most illustrious champions
18. Stephen Curry
Tinseltown/Shutterstock. Few NBA players have influenced the game as Stephen Curry has
Curry holds the record for most three-pointers made and is regarded as the best shooter of all time
He paved the way for additional teams and players to prioritize making three-pointers. He guided the Golden State Warriors to four NBA Championships as the team’s driving force. Curry is regarded by fans as the most well-known athlete and one of the greatest NBA players
19. Musial, Stan
YouTube/Dominick Claflin. For the entirety of his career, Stan Musial played for the St
before retiring in 1963, St
Louis Cardinals. He joined the club in the early 1940s but enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He rejoined the team after the war and carried on obliterating the opposition
Musial, also referred to as Stan The Man, is one of the best hitters in MLB history. Stan The Man entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 after breaking numerous records and hitting home runs
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