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Top 10 Greatest Athletes of All Time | Ranked

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Top 10 Greatest Athletes of All Time | Ranked

From Tennis to European football, we are lucky to have witnessed some of the top professionals in their respective sports over many years now. Determining the greatest athletes of all time is all about folks who have not only graced with their excellence in their respective sports but have also left a great mark on the world of athletics.To rank the top 10 greatest athletes of all time, we have used a weighted method, ensuring our article stands out from those biased articles circulating on the internet, which often lack metrics and are based solely on favoritism. To evaluate players like Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, Lionel Messi, and Muhamed Ali, we have used the weighted method.

The weights are as follows: 25% for major titles won, 25% for individual records, 25% for awards and honors, 20% for longevity and consistency, and 5% for cultural and social influence. The factors ensure that it adopts a balanced approach and evaluates both quantifiable achievements and social impact. Our list of the Top 10 greatest athletes includes players from every domain of the sport, like basketball to track, tennis to soccer, and football. These athletes have reshaped excellence through exceptional performance, dominating their sports, shattering records, and securing prestigious accolades, solidifying their legacies as among the greatest athletes of all time or simply the GOATs.

Greatest Athletes of All Time – Top 10 Comprehensive Table

The world of sports is vast, with countless athletes shaping its legacy. Not making the top 10 greatest athletes list doesn’t diminish a star’s or sport’s value; their fan base and recognition may simply be less prominent compared to others. Here is Sportsdunia’s list of the top 10 best athletes of all time, which answers the question – who is the greatest athlete of all time?

RankAthleteSportEraMajor TitlesIndividual RecordsAwards & Honors
10PeleSoccer1956–19773 FIFA World Cups1,279 career goals (world record)FIFA Player of the Century
9Sachin TendulkarCricket1989–20131 Cricket World Cup (2011)Most runs (18,426) and centuries (51) in ODIsBharat Ratna, ICC Hall of Fame
8Roger FedererTennis1998–202220 Grand Slam Singles Titles103 ATP titles, 310 weeks as World No. 15x Laureus Sportsman of the Year
7Michael PhelpsSwimming2000–201623 Olympic Gold MedalsMost Olympic medals ever (28)8x World Swimmer of the Year
6Muhammad AliBoxing1960–19813 World Heavyweight Titles56–5 career record, 37 KOsSports Illustrated Sportsman of the Century
5Cristiano RonaldoSoccer2002–present5 UEFA Champions LeagueMost goals in UCL history (140)5x Ballon d’Or, 4x European Golden Shoe
4Lionel MessiSoccer2004–present4 UCL, 1 World Cup8x Ballon d’Or (record)8x Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player
3Serena WilliamsTennis1995–202223 Grand Slam Singles TitlesMost Grand Slam Singles Wins (Open Era)4x Laureus Sportswoman of the Year
2Usain BoltTrack & Field2004–20178 Olympic Gold MedalsWorld Records: 100m (9.58s), 200m (19.19s)6x World Athlete of the Year
1Michael JordanBasketball1984–20036 NBA Championships5x NBA Scoring Leader, 10x All-NBA First Team5x NBA MVP, 14x All-Star
10 best athletes of all time

How We Ranked the Greatest Sportsman of All Time

Major Titles Won: This looks at how many major titles a player has won in the entirety of his career. The number of major titles represents the player’s ability to perform at the highest level multiple times. For example, lots of Grand Slams in tennis or Super Bowls in football means they’re a top performer in high-pressure moments.

Individual Records: To make sure that people don’t raise questions on the list based on the first metric, we have given individual awards a 25% weightage. This counts records an athlete set, like the fastest 100-meter run or the most soccer goals. Breaking records proves they did something amazing that no one else did.

Awards & Honors: This metric looks into the awards and honours earned by a player during his tenure, like MVP or Player of the Year. These show others, like coaches, players, or media, think the athlete is great. Winning many awards means they stayed competitive and at the peak for a long time, and earned tons of respect.

Longevity & Consistency: This checks for how much time a player stayed at the top in their respective sport. Playing at a top level for many years shows they’re tough and adaptable. For example, a tennis player shining for 20 years proves they’re built for lasting success.

Cultural & Social Influence: At last, we have cultural and social influence, a metric with the least weightage but high importance. This metric helped us a lot in choosing the best players and which sport to include in the list. Sports with huge fan followings and their best players always have an impact on the people who directly or indirectly connect with the sport. For eg, Cristiano Ronaldo set the example that it’s not necessary to have talent to shine in the sport, if you have the determination, you can achieve the summit easily.

Major Titles WonIndividual RecordsAwards & HonorsLongevity & ConsistencyCultural & Social Influence
25%25%25%20%5%
Weights given to different ranking factors

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Greatest Athletes of All Time – Individual Profiles

Below are the individual profiles of the best athletes of all time. These icons have redefined greatness with unmatched performances, breaking societal barriers, setting records, earning a number of honors, and establishing themselves as the finest in sports history.

1. Michael Jordan

Micahel is widely known as the finest basketball player in history. His unmatched set of skills and competitive drive has led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s. Jordan’s influence extended way beyond the court, elevating global popularity and inspiring countless athletes in the NBA.

One of the greatest NBA player Michael Jordan
One of the greatest NBA player Michael Jordan (Image via Twitter)
StatisticsValue
NBA Championships6
NBA Finals MVP Awards6
Regular Season MVP Awards5
All Star Appearances1.4
Career Points Per Game30.1
Michael Jordan statistics

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2. Virat Kohli

Taking the attention towards the cricketing world. If there is one name that many countries fear the most, it is the India’s very own Virat Kohli. Among lot of his quality attributes, he is especially known for his aggressive approach in the games along with delivering in the biggest stages internationally and domestically.

Be it the test cricket or T-20s, cricketing fans all over the world are lucky enough to witness the magic of Virat Kohli’s class with batting and captaincy.

StatisticsValue
Test Cricket9230
ODI13906
t-204188
IPL8004
World Cup1
Virat Kohli numbers

3. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is as popular as La Pulga. In the World of Football, he is the only player who have won it all. The Argentine has won the Ballon d’Or 7 times, surpassing his fierce competition Cristiano Ronaldo.

All greatest footballer Lionel Messi
All greatest footballer Lionel Messi (Image via Twitter)

From his vision in the field to his unmatched dribbling and goal-scoring abilities, he has earned himself numerous accolades over the years. From the Camp Nou stadium to now in Inter Miami, his journey with football is nothing shorter than a masterpiece of an artist. La Pulga has a massive fan following in every corner of the world.

StatisticsValue
Ballon d’Or7
UEFA Champions League Titles4
Domestic League Titles10
Career GoalsOver 700
AssistsOver 300
Lionel Messi stats

4. Usain Bolt

You have surely heard the name of the fastest man alive, Usain Bolt. Since you have, you also know that he is the fastest man alive who has dominated the sprinting events, holding records in the 100m and 200m. His charismatic personality and unprecedented speed have made him a worldwide icon in athletics.

StatisticsValue
Olympic Gold Medals8
World Championship Golds11
100m World Record9.58 seconds
200m World Record19.19 seconds
Undefeated Seasons (100m/200m)Multiple
Stats of Usain Bolt

5. Novak Djokovic

We steer the attention towards Tennis this time. This list of top 10 athletes in the world is incomplete without the number 1 tennis player of the world, Novak Djokovic. The Serbian professional tennis player has reached the heights many players have dreamed of. When asked about the secret towards his successful career, the player always pointed out the support of his family.

National ChampionshipsValue
1st Serve Won74%
2nd Serve Won56%
Return Games Won32%
Return Points Won42%
Total Points Won54%
Novak Djokovic stats

6. Tom Brady

When the conversation is about American Football, Tom Brady is the name that will be in every discussion. He is considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history, with a record seven Super Bowl victories. His longevity and consistent high-level performance have set new standards in professional football.

NFL Legend Tom Brady with his family
NFL Legend Tom Brady with his family (Image via Twitter)
StatisticsValue
Super Bowl Titles7
Super Bowl MVP Awards5
NFL MVP Awards3
Career Touchdown PassesOver 600
Career Passing YardsOver 80,000
Tom Brady stats

7. Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is known as the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals, including 23 golds. The swimmer’s dominance in the pool across various events and Olympics is unparalleled.

StatisticsValue
Olympic Medals28
World Records Set39
Olympic Gold Medals23
World Championship Golds26
Olympic Events Completed 30
Michael Phelps stats

8. Cristiano Ronaldo

If there is one athlete who is the inspiration of a generation, it is CR7. Cristiano’s athleticism, goal-scoring prowess, and versatility have made him one of the greatest in football. He is a true example of dedication and discipline.

Both Cristiano and Messi have shared the top stage of Football for over a decade. To this day, it is talked about among the fans across the world and surely the rivalry will be in the history pages forever.

Cristiano Ronaldo
All-time greatest footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (Image via ESPN)

With five Ballon d’Or awards and many titles across the top leagues of Europe, his impact on the sport is profound. As of right now, he is the top scorer across all football competitions.

StatisticsValue
Ballon d’Or Awards5
UEFA Champions League Titles5
Domestic Titles7
Career Goals790+
International Goals130+
Cristiano Ronaldo stats

9. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is the name that revolutionized golf with his unprecedented success and popularity. With 15 major championships, he is second only to Jack Nicklaus, and his influence has brought a new audience to the sport.

While certain footballers had to hang his boots to make a name in golf, there is Tiger Woods, who has taken golf to new heights.

StatisticsValue
Major Championships15
PGA Tour Wins82
Weeks as World No. 1683
Player of the Year Awards11
Career Grand Slams3
Tiger Woods stats

10. Muhammad Ali

Fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee! You must have heard this phrase at a certain time in your life. That is Muhammad Ali for you.

As Mike Tyson said, every head must bow down to the greatest of all time. And he was and still is the goat of boxing. Muhammad Ali’s natural record is unmatched to this day. His final record is 56 wins and 5 losses with 37 knockouts. He is the boxing immortal!

StatisticsValue
Matches61
Wins56
Losses5
Knockouts37
Heavyweight Boxing ChampionThrice
Muhammad Ali stats

So, these are the top 10 greatest athletes of all time. From football to golf, these names have led by example and taken their sport to the highest of heights in their tenure.

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FAQs

Q. Who is considered the greatest athlete of all time?
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A. The answer varies as per the metrics or factors you are looking at the question with. There are athletes like Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Serena Williams among others who have shown unparalleled dominance in their sports.
Q. Who is statistically the greatest sportsman of all time?
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A. Due to the accolades, Michael Phelps is the greatest sportsman of all time.
Q. Who is the best Olympian ever?
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A. With 28 medals across five Olympic games, Michael Phelps is the best Olympian ever. His 23 gold medals remain unmatched in the Olympic's history.
Q. Is Messi the greatest sportsman of all time?
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A. If we take a look at it in terms of the Ballon d'Or, yes Lionel Messi is the GOAT.
However, in European football, there are other metrics out there that suggest different individuals as the greatest of all time.

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