Top 24 Greatest Sports Moments of Each Year (2000 - 2023)

Top 24 Best Sports Moments of Each Year (2000-2023)

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest, most impactful, and most memorable sports moments from each year since the 21st century began.

2000: Four-Time Champ
There’s a reason they called him The Real Deal. Evander Holyfield is one of the best heavyweights to ever lace up the gloves. After all, he never lost to Mike Tyson and had a legendary rivalry with Lennox Lewis. In 2000, Holyfield faced John Ruiz for the vacant WBA heavyweight championship. After 12 rounds, the judges deemed Holyfield the winner by a score of 114-113. The decision was controversial and sparked two rematches. But it couldn’t change the historic moment, because the victory meant Holyfield became the first ever four-time World Heavyweight Champion.

2001: The Legend Returns
In 1999, Michael Jordan retired from professional basketball for the second time. Many thought it would stick, and he himself claimed he was “99.9% certain” that he was done playing in the NBA. Jordan soon became a part owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards. But in September 2001, he announced his NBA comeback, saying that he would donate his player salary to September 11 relief efforts. The Wizards sold out every home game when Jordan was there. Even though he suffered some injuries and was not in his prime, he still regularly led the team in scoring. He would eventually retire for the third and final time in 2003.

2002: Super Underdogs
Before they began their two-decade run as a dominant franchise, the New England Patriots had all the odds against them. They faced the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. St. Louis put points on the board early with a field goal in the first quarter, but then let the Patriots score 17 unanswered before the fourth. The Rams scored two touchdowns and tied the game with a minute and a half left. With no timeouts, New England tried for a game-winning drive. Tom Brady spiked the ball with seconds left on the clock and Adam Vinatieri made a 48-yard field goal to win. The Brady-Belichick dynasty would go on to earn New England five more Super Bowls.

2003: Skating Superior
Not many American women have excelled in the figure skating rink like Michelle Kwan. A two-time Olympic medalist and nine-time US champion, Kwan was praised for being both consistent and artistic. In 2003, her powerhouse status was confirmed on her own turf at the World Figure Skating Championships in Washington, DC. Kwan won her fifth and last world title at the competition, becoming the first woman in 43 years to win that many times. She claimed her first Worlds victory in 1996, and would continue to compete at the competition through 2005.

2004: Breaking the Curse
For 86 long years, the Boston Red Sox were plagued by the Curse of the Bambino. It all started in 1920, when the team sold the legendary Babe Ruth — aka The Bambino — to the New York Yankees. After that, the Red Sox didn’t win a championship. Some people thought they never would. However, that changed in 2004. Boston took on the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. It didn’t start well, and the team fell down 3–0. But they won four straight to reach the World Series. Riding high off the thrilling comeback, Boston swept the St. Louis Cardinals and won the championship, finally breaking that curse.

2005: The Final Comeback
In 2005, Italy’s AC Milan had one of the most exciting football sides in the world with players like Clarence Seedorf, Andriy Shevchenko, Andrea Pirlo, and Kaká. All eyes were on them in the Champions League final in Istanbul against England’s Liverpool. Milan came out dominant, ending the first half up three nil. Yet in the second half, the revitalized Scousers fought back and leveled the score. Normal time ended in a draw, and neither team could find the back of the net during extra time. The game would be decided by penalties. Liverpool triumphed and provided one of the best football comebacks in history, now known as the Miracle of Istanbul.

2006: Forever Federer
When we talk about the greatest tennis players of all time, Switzerland’s Roger Federer is in the conversation. His run in 2006 is a big reason why. The tennis star won 12 singles titles that year, including three Grand Slams. He took on Marcos Baghdatis at the Australian Open final and claimed victory over Andy Roddick at the US Open. He came up short in France against Rafael Nadal, but later beat him to win at Wimbledon. Many point to the French Open as the birthplace of the iconic rivalry between Federer and Nadal, which continued for many years of enthralling tennis.

2007: Geelong the Greats
In 2007, club side Geelong rose from the ashes to become a big player again in the Australian Football League. The last time they had won the AFL Grand Final, which determines the premiership, had been in 1963 when it was known as the Victorian Football League. Taking on Port Adelaide, they were hoping to end a 44-year drought. Straight from the start, the Cats tore into the Power, maintaining their dominance as the game continued. By the end, Geelong had scored 24.19 (163) to Adelaide’s 6.8 (44). The margin of 119 broke the previous Grand Final record of 96, set in 1988.

2008: The Helmet Catch
The undefeated New England Patriots were the overwhelming favorites to win Super Bowl XLII in 2008. And with around two minutes left in the game, they were leading the New York Giants 14–10 and getting ready to lift their fourth trophy since 2001. But the Giants weren’t done yet. On 3rd down and 5, quarterback Eli Manning launched a long pass to wide receiver David Tyree. In a move that would become known as the Helmet Catch, Tyree grabbed the ball and creatively used his headgear to stop it from escaping his grasp. The 32-yard play boosted the Giants to a championship-winning touchdown scored by Plaxico Burress.

2009: The Return of Mayweather
One of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been retired for 21 months when he announced he would return to the ring. He was coaxed back by the prospect of facing Juan Manuel Márquez. Although there was a delay due to a Mayweather injury, fans were excited to witness the icon’s return. In a hard-fought battle watched by a pay-per-view audience of over 1 million households, Mayweather triumphed. The boxer used his unprecedented speed and won a unanimous decision after 12 rounds. It would take three retirements for it to stick, but Mayweather finished his professional boxing career with a stunning 50 wins and no losses.

2010: Olympic Golden Goal
Canada’s rivalry with the United States might be at its fiercest in hockey. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the two men’s teams faced off in a rematch of their 2002 clash, which Canada had won. Team Canada built a 2–0 lead before the United States came back to life, eventually making it a tie game with 25 seconds left and sending the bout into sudden death overtime. Around seven minutes into OT, Sidney Crosby — also known as “Sid the Kid” — received the puck from Jarome Iginla and scored the game-winning Golden Goal.

2011: The World Series Comeback
Sometimes in team sports, it takes only one athlete to impact the result in a big way. In 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals faced the Texas Rangers in the World Series. At the bottom of the 9th in Game 6, it was Texas’ championship to win — they were up 7–5 and just needed to get David Freese. Instead, Freese hit a triple. The game went into the 10th inning, and the Rangers were able to pull ahead — only for the Cardinals to level it again. In the 11th inning, Freese stepped up once more. He hit a home run, tying the series and forcing a World Series Game 7 for the first time since 2002. The Cardinals would go on to win the trophy.

2012: Perfect Phelps
Getting one Olympic medal is a massive achievement. But Michael Phelps is on another level. The iconic American swimmer competed in eight events at the Summer Olympics in London. After four events in the Games, Phelps had claimed three medals and had made Olympic history. When he won gold in the 4×200 m freestyle relay, he became the most decorated Olympian of all time with 19 medals. He passed Soviet Union gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won 18 medals — nine of them gold — between 1956 and 1964. By the time he hung up his goggles in 2016, the swimmer had won 28 medals, 23 of which were gold.

2013: Turning Up the Heat
By 2013, Ray Allen was in the twilight of his professional basketball career, playing for the Miami Heat after leaving the Boston Celtics. The NBA Finals saw the Big Three-era Heat trying to defend their championship title against the San Antonio Spurs. Coming into Game 6, the Spurs were leading the series 3-2. At the end of the fourth, a San Antonio championship seemed likely — but then Allen hit a three with just 5.2 seconds left on the clock, tying the score. The bucket sent the game to overtime and breathed life into the Heat’s hopes at back-to-back titles. Miami won, forced a Game 7, and came away with the championship.

2014: Down to the Wire
After winning his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2008, Lewis Hamilton went through a dry patch. But in 2014, that all changed. Locked in a season-long battle with his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, Hamilton came into the final race — the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — with a seventeen-point advantage. The outcome of the race would decide the championship. On lap 23, Rosberg began facing issues with his vehicle, eventually being told his ERS had failed. Hamilton ended up finishing first, winning the championship. He would go on to be one of the most dominant F1 drivers of his time, meeting the record seven championships in 2020.

2015: Beating the Best
Ronda Rousey was one of the biggest names in the UFC at one point, with many of her fights regarded as must-sees for fans. She was a dominant fighter known for obliterating any challenger, and was also the inaugural UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. Set to defend her title against Holly Holm at UFC 193, everyone expected Rousey to add another notch to her belt. Instead, Holm used her boxing experience to batter Rousey early into the bout. By the second round, Holm was in control. She delivered a kick to Rousey’s neck, knocking her out and crowning a new champ in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

2016: The Long Wait
In 1908, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. But it would be over a century before they were champions again. Things got worse after 1945's infamous Curse of the Billy Goat, when a tavern owner allegedly cursed the team after his pet goat was forced to leave Wrigley Field. In 2016, the Cubs took on the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. The Cubs came back from a 3–1 deficit in the series to force a seventh game. The 108-year-long wait was over as they defeated the Indians 8–7. 2016 was a big year for dramatic comebacks — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were down 3–1 against the Golden State Warriors to claim the NBA title.

2017: The Super Super Bowl
It takes a special game to beat or match over 30 NFL records, but that’s what happened at Super Bowl LI in 2017. The Atlanta Falcons were out to a decisive lead against the New England Patriots. By the third quarter, the Falcons were ahead 28-3. But then, the Patriots woke up. With 58 seconds left in the fourth, the Patriots scored and completed a two-point conversion to tie the game. For the first time since 1958, the NFL championship was decided in overtime. James White scored the winning touchdown, completing the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.

2018: The Final Trophy
The legendary Russian left winger Alexander Ovechkin had done it all on the rink. But in 2018, one major trophy still eluded Ovi — the Stanley Cup. The last time the Washington Capitals had reached the finals was in 1998, years before Ovechkin joined. They had never won. All that stood in the Caps’ way were the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas took the first game. But something stirred in the Capitals, and they secured a 3-2 win in game two. They continued the momentum and claimed the cup in a five-game series. It was a historic win for the franchise as well as its venerated star.

2019: The Master’s Back
By 2019, golf icon Tiger Woods was in something of a rut professionally. Years of injuries and problems off the green meant he hadn’t won a major championship since the U.S. Open in 2008. Before the final round of the Masters Tournament, Francesco Molinari was leading the table. But he began to fall down the standings, allowing Woods to rise. Entering hole 15, he was tied for first with four other players. Through the final stretch, he moved ahead and claimed the victory. The joy and relief on his face after realizing he had won was a heartwarming moment in sports history.

2020: The Fantastic Fielder
In a year of several canceled sporting events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cricketer Nicholas Pooran stole the show in a dramatic moment. The stage was set as Kings XI — now known as the Punjab Kings — faced off against the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. Pooran was fielding when batter Sanju Samson hit the ball beautifully. It soared high and far, looking likely to secure the Royals six runs. But Pooran wasn’t going to allow that. Like Superman, he dove over the boundary, caught the ball in the air, and threw it into play behind his back. The save looks even more extraordinary in slo-mo.

2021: Sharing the Title
After the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the 2020 Summer Olympics, the event was put on in Tokyo in 2021. Among many impressive athletic feats, there was one moment that really captured the hearts of the audience. In the men's high jump, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi were tied for first place, with neither able to clear the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters. The two could have done a jump-off for the win. However, the competitors are friends off the track. Barshim asked if they could share first place, and the judges agreed. The two embraced and took the top podium together.

2022: Magnificent Messi
Between football fans, the debate about who is the best modern-day footballer — Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo — has raged for several years. Before 2022, neither had ever hoisted the World Cup trophy. When Argentina came away from the tournament with the win, it only added to Messi’s lore. The legendary forward captained his side during perhaps one of the greatest finals ever. In a high-octane battle against France, the two sides were tied at 3 goals apiece at the end of extra time, forcing a penalty shoot-out. Argentina came away with the win and Messi took home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

2023: LeBron the Leader
There’s a reason many people argue that LeBron is the GOAT. Throughout his career with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers, LeBron has won championships and set records. In 1984, the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the record for the most points in NBA history with 38,387 points, building on his lead before retiring in 1989. He held the record until February 2023, when LeBron surpassed him in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After LeBron scored his 38,388th career point, the NBA stopped the game and held an on-court ceremony to honor the achievement. The Lakers went on to lose the game, but league history was made.

Who has been the best athlete this century in your opinion? Let us know below.