List of sports figures considered the greatest

In sports, spectators including sports fandom and sportswriters, as well as participants themselves have discussed players, coaches, teams, and related personalities in regards to being the greatest in their field, or sometimes across sports. These discussions on the greatest of all-time—often referred to by the acronym "GOAT"—are often held in sports culture, but widespread consensus on a sport's "GOAT" is uncommon.

Team sports in particular have GOAT discussions compartmentalized by position.

List of sports players considered the greatest

General

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player All sports (general) Muhammad Ali Simone Biles Usain Bolt Tom Brady Roger Federer Wayne Gretzky Bo Jackson Michael Jordan Lionel Messi Pelé Michael Phelps Jim Thorpe Serena Williams

Athletics and racing sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Cycling Eddy Merckx Formula One Lewis Hamilton Michael Schumacher Ayrton Senna Horse racing (Jockeys, flat racing) Lester Piggott Bill Shoemaker Horse racing (Jockeys, jump racing) Tony McCoy Ruby Walsh Horse racing (Thoroughbreds, in general and flat racing) Frankel Man o' War Secretariat Horse racing (Thoroughbreds, in general and Steeplechase) Arkle MotoGP Giacomo Agostini Marc Márquez NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jimmie Johnson Richard Petty Long-distance running (men's Marathon) Eliud Kipchoge Long-distance running (women's Marathon) Paula Radcliffe Swimming (in general and men's) Michael Phelps Swimming (women's) Katie Ledecky Track and field: Decathlon Ashton Eaton Track and field: High jump Javier Sotomayor Track and field: Javelin throw Jan Železný Track and field: Long jump Mike Powell Track and field (men's): Middle-distance running Hicham El Guerrouj Track and field (women's): Middle-distance running Faith Kipyegon Track and field (men's): Overall Usain Bolt Carl Lewis Jesse Owens Track and field (women's): Overall Allyson Felix Jackie Joyner-Kersee Track and field: Pole vault Armand Duplantis Track and field: Shot put Ryan Crouser Track and field (in general and men's): Sprinting Usain Bolt Track and field (women's): Sprinting Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Track and field: Triple jump Jonathan Edwards

Ball and hockey sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player American football Tom Brady Jim Brown Jerry Rice Association football (men's) Diego Maradona Lionel Messi Pelé Cristiano Ronaldo Association football (women's) Mia Hamm Marta Australian rules football Leigh Matthews Wayne Carey Badminton Lin Dan Baseball Willie Mays Shohei Ohtani Babe Ruth Basketball (men's) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar LeBron James Michael Jordan Bill Russell Basketball (women's) Diana Taurasi A'ja Wilson Box lacrosse John Tavares Canadian football Doug Flutie Cricket (men's, any form) Don Bradman Sachin Tendulkar Golf Jack Nicklaus Tiger Woods Field hockey (in general and men's) Dhyan Chand Field hockey (women's) Luciana Aymar Futsal Falcão Handball Nikola Karabatić Ice hockey (men's) Wayne Gretzky Gordie Howe Bobby Orr Ice hockey (women's) Marie-Philip Poulin Indoor soccer Slaviša Žungul Lacrosse Gary Gait Rugby league Cameron Smith Rugby union Gareth Edwards Jonah Lomu Richie McCaw Softball Lisa Fernandez Squash Jahangir Khan Table tennis Ma Long Tennis (men's) Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Rod Laver Rafael Nadal Tennis (women's) Margaret Court Steffi Graf Martina Navratilova Serena Williams Volleyball (men's): Beach and indoor variants Karch Kiraly

Combat sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Boxing (men's) Muhammad Ali Sugar Ray Robinson Boxing (women's) Laila Ali Claressa Shields Katie Taylor Brazilian jiu-jitsu Roger Gracie Collegiate (folkstyle) wrestling Cael Sanderson Fencing Edoardo Mangiarotti Freestyle wrestling (men's) Buvaisar Saitiev Freestyle wrestling (women's) Kaori Icho Saori Yoshida Greco-Roman wrestling Aleksandr Karelin Mijaín López Judo (men's) Teddy Riner Judo (women's) Ryoko Tani Karate Rafael Aghayev MMA (men's) Demetrious Johnson Jon Jones Anderson Silva Georges St-Pierre MMA (women's) Cris Cyborg Amanda Nunes Sumo Hakuhō Shō

Extreme and adventure sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Biathlon Ole Einar Bjørndalen Cross-country skiing Johannes Høsflot Klæbo Skateboarding Tony Hawk Skiing (in general and men's) Ingemar Stenmark Skiing (in general and women's) Mikaela Shiffrin Ski jumping Matti Nykänen Snowboarding Terje Håkonsen Craig Kelly Shaun White Surfing Kelly Slater

Mind sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Chess Magnus Carlsen Garry Kasparov Speedcubing (general) Feliks Zemdegs

Esports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Counter-Strike: Global Offensive s1mple Fortnite Bugha Peterbot League of Legends Faker Overwatch Fleta Profit Rocket League Turbopolsa Starcraft: Brood War Flash Super Smash Bros. (overall) Mew2King Super Smash Bros. 4 ZeRo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate MkLeo TrackMania CarlJr.

Precision sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Archery (men's) Kim Woo-jin Archery (women's) Sara López Curling (men's) Kevin Martin Brad Gushue Niklas Edin Curling (women's) Jennifer Jones Anette Norberg Rachel Homan Sandra Schmirler Darts Phil Taylor Horseshoes Alan Francis Pool Efren Reyes Snooker Ronnie O'Sullivan Tenpin bowling Earl Anthony Walter Ray Williams Jr.

Parasports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Goalball Sevda Altunoluk Para cross-country skiing Brian McKeever Paralympics (general) Sarah Storey Trischa Zorn Wheelchair basketball Patrick Anderson Paralympic swimming Daniel Dias

Other individual sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Player Bodybuilding Ronnie Coleman Arnold Schwarzenegger Competitive eating (in general and men's) Joey Chestnut Competitive eating (women's) Miki Sudo Figure skating (men's) Nathan Chen Yuzuru Hanyu Figure skating (women's) Sonja Henie Yuna Kim Figure skating (ice dance) Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir Gymnastics (men's) Kohei Uchimura Gymnastics (in general and women's) Simone Biles Olympic weightlifting Lasha Talakhadze

List of team sports athletes considered the greatest by position American football

+List of athletes considered the greatest Position Player OffenseCenter Jim Otto Mike Webster Guard Larry Allen John Hannah Bruce Matthews Jim Parker Offensive tackle Anthony Muñoz Jonathan Ogden Quarterback Tom Brady Patrick Mahomes Peyton Manning Joe Montana Running back Jim Brown Walter Payton Barry Sanders Emmitt Smith Tight end Rob Gronkowski Tony Gonzalez Wide receiver Don Hutson Randy Moss Jerry Rice Defense Defense (general) Lawrence Taylor Cornerback Mel Blount Night Train Lane Deion Sanders Rod Woodson Defensive tackle Aaron Donald Joe Greene Bob Lilly Alan Page Edge rusher Bruce Smith Lawrence Taylor Reggie White Linebacker Dick Butkus Ray Lewis Lawrence Taylor Safety Ronnie Lott Ed Reed Emlen Tunnell Special teamsGunner Matthew Slater Steve Tasker Kicker Justin Tucker Adam Vinatieri Punter Ray Guy Return specialist(Kick or punt returner) Devin Hester Cordarrelle Patterson Gale Sayers

Association football

+List of athletes considered the greatest Position Player Goalkeeper Lev Yashin Gianluigi Buffon Iker Casillas Manuel Neuer Goalkeeper (sweeper keeper) Manuel Neuer Defender (general) Franz Beckenbauer Paolo Maldini Defender (Right-back) Cafu Dani Alves Defender (left-back) Paolo Maldini Roberto Carlos Defender (Centre-back) Franz Beckenbauer Franco Baresi Midfielder (general) Johan Cruyff Diego Maradona Zinedine Zidane Defensive midfielder Lothar Matthäus Claude Makelele Sergio Busquets Left winger Cristiano Ronaldo Right Winger Lionel Messi Winger (general) Garrincha Attacking midfielder Diego Maradona Forward (general) Lionel Messi Forward (Striker) Pelé Ronaldo

Baseball

+List of athletes considered the greatest Position Player Battery1 (Pitcher), general Roger Clemens Walter Johnson Cy Young Starting pitcher Walter Johnson Sandy Koufax Relief pitcher (general) Mariano Rivera Closer Mariano Rivera 2 (Catcher) Johnny Bench Infield3 (First baseman) Lou Gehrig Albert Pujols 4 (Second baseman) Rogers Hornsby 5 (Third baseman) Mike Schmidt 6 (Shortstop) Cal Ripken Jr. Alex Rodriguez Honus Wagner Outfield General Babe Ruth 7 (Left fielder) Barry Bonds Ted Williams 8 (Center fielder) Willie Mays 9 (Right fielder) Babe Ruth Other positionsDesignated hitter Edgar Martínez Shohei Ohtani David Ortiz Frank Thomas

Basketball

+List of athletes considered the greatest Position Player Point guard Stephen Curry Magic Johnson Shooting guard Michael Jordan Small forward Larry Bird LeBron James Power forward Tim Duncan Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Wilt Chamberlain Bill Russell

Other team sports

+List of athletes considered the greatest Sport Position Player Bobsleigh Driver Eugenio Monti Cricket (men's, any form) Batter Don Bradman Cricket (men's, ODI)Batter Virat Kohli Sachin Tendulkar Cricket (men's, Test cricket) Bowler Muttiah Muralitharan Rugby union Fly-half Dan Carter

List of sports teams considered the greatest +List of teams considered the greatest Sport Team American football Miami Dolphins (1972) Chicago Bears (1985) Association football Brazil national football team (1970) Baseball New York Yankees (1927) New York Yankees (1998) Basketball United States men's national basketball team (1992) Cricket Australia national cricket team (1948) Rugby British & Irish Lions (1971) New Zealand national rugby union team (2015)

List of sports personnel considered the greatest Coach/manager/trainer +List of coaches considered the greatest Sport Coach All sports John Wooden American football Bill Belichick Vince Lombardi Don Shula American football (college) Nick Saban Association football Sir Alex Ferguson Baseball Joe McCarthy Casey Stengel Basketball (men's) Red Auerbach Phil Jackson Gregg Popovich Basketball (women's) Geno Auriemma Boxing Cus D'Amato Horse racing (trainer, flat racing) Bob Baffert Ice hockey Scotty Bowman MMA Greg Jackson

List of sports media figures considered the greatest Commentators +List of commentators considered the greatest Type/Field IndividualAnnouncer/broadcaster, general Howard Cosell Bob Costas Vin Scully Murray Walker Carlos Eduardo dos Santos Galvao Bueno

List of sports figures considered the greatest

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