I was having this conversation with my friend yesterday and we were talking about the top 10 most iconic sportspeople of all time. When I say iconic, i don’t just mean the best at the sport but also who left a legacy behind them….and left a major impression on you.
Here are my top 10, in no particular order:
Micheal Jordan
Jordan is my favourite sportsman mainly due to stepping up when it matters. When someone needs a leader, he is always there. Also, not many sportsmen are playing their sport inside, while having a statue of them outside.
Lance Armstrong
The man beat cancer to then win one of the most physically challenging sports in history, the Tour de France. Very inspirational. I highly recommend his book.
Pele
Arguably the greatest football player to ever play the beautiful game. The first true global star of the sport. He truly left a huge legacy behind him….shame most people now remember him for his erectile problem adverts.
Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay
Credit: POPPERFOTO.
The most obvious person to be on this list. Not only is he one of the greatest sportsmen ever but also one of the greatest men in history. A natural entertainer, showman and world class athlete.
Martina Navratilova
She’s the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who’s ever lived….even though she was very rude to me when I was a ball boy at Wimbledon.
Tiger Woods
You usually get the title of Greatest of all time once you have finished your career, not halfway through it. Woods has broken so many records and boundaries in a game that only appealed to a select few. You gotta hand it to him, he made Golf kind of cool.
Usain Bolt
PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR
Shattered 5 world records in 2 championships & took the world by storm with his talent….and dancing. He has only just come on the scene but shows you do not need longevity to be a legend.
Maradona
Was not sure to include Maradona but he is a god in his homeland. Plus, not many people can say they have single-handily won the World Cup and also the league with Napoli…which is like winning the premiership with Bolton.
Mike Tyson
The best pound for pound boxer in history. In his prime, he would beat people before he stepped into the ring. His legacy is Iconic and even decades after he won the title, people still fear him.
Michael Phelps
The greatest swimmer and one of the greatest Olympians of all time. He has won 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian & has broken thirty-seven world records in swimming. That doesn’t even sound real.
Honourable Mentions: Valentino Rossi, Roger Federer, Phil Taylor (If you think Darts is a sport) and Steve Redgrave.
Who would you put in your list? Am I missing anyone???
Pele, Muhamed Ali and Navratilova have actually stood-up for things and tried to make the world a better place.
Most of the others seem to have either: taken wads of irresponsible corporate money or cheated or not addressed personal problems and taken drugs to a stupid extent or been incredibly violent. Yeah, great icons there.
yes…..
bobby moore
george best
j.p.r.williams
ultimate warrior
tony hawk
plus some other ones. michael caine as well. i’m sure he played sport at some point. such a legend he has to be in it. if fact, i’m going to write a user script that replaces tyson with michael caine whenever i visit this again.
not forgetting raiden or liu kang
don bradman was the most iconic player among all sportsmen you mentioned
phil the power taylor just check his record out
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