The 4 Best Players From Each Major Sport

The Best 4 All-Time Players Per Sport Ranked

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the four greatest players in the history of 10 different sports, considering accolades, skill level, and the era they played in. From these, we will select the GOAT[a] for each sport.

Cricket: Shane Warne, Garfield Sobers, Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar [b]

A 100-member panel of cricket experts selected Shane Warne as one of the five best cricket players of the 20th century. Warne was a top-notch bowler who had the leg spin down to a science. Another cricketing legend, Garfield Sobers, was a unique talent known for his exceptional batting, fielding, and all-around skills. Sobers was truly Mister do-it-all, and there’s an argument that no cricketer in history has been as well-rounded as he was. Don Bradman, a.k.a ‘The Don,’ also made the top-five list for 20th century cricket legends. Bradman’s career batting average remains the highest of all time. He excelled against essentially all types of bowling. However, at the very top of the mountain of cricket icons is Sachin Tendulkar, who scored more runs than any other cricketer in history. Combine that with his record number of player of the match awards in international cricket, and he’s a worthy choice for cricket’s GOAT.

Golf: Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus[c], Tiger Woods

One of just five golfers to have ever won all four majors, Ben Hogan was a true student of the game who had a profound impact on how golf is approached. His swing mechanics, ball-striking ability, and strategic decision-making paved the way for future greats. Shortly after Hogan’s dominant stretch, it was Arnold Palmer’s time to shine during a significant growth period for sports broadcasting. Between 1958 and 1964, Palmer won four Masters tournaments and became a household name, while significantly boosting the sport’s popularity. Another golfing giant who had a similar impact around the same time period was Jack Nicklaus, who won his first Major in 1962. Over the course of his career, Nicklaus stacked his trophy cabinet with a record 18 major championships. Yet, it’s the man right behind him on that list who gets our vote for golf’s best: Tiger Woods. Tiger has the lowest career scoring average in PGA Tour history and showed an unparalleled ability to close out victories during the late 1990s and 2000s.

Boxing: Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis[d], Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali

Pound-for-pound, Sugar Ray Robinson absolutely deserves a place on boxing’s Mount Rushmore—and some around the sport have called him the best ever. In his first 11 years of professional boxing starting in 1940, Robinson lost just one of 132 matches—with 85 knockouts. During that time, Joe Louis was on top of the world in a different weight class than Robinson. Louis’s reign as heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 is the longest such stretch in the history of boxing. Decades later came another all-time boxing great, who was a KO machine and the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990: Mike Tyson. One of Iron Mike’s many achievements was becoming the youngest boxer to ever win a heavyweight title. Edging him out for the boxing GOAT, though, is Muhammad Ali—the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion. Aptly known as ‘The Greatest,’ he was the greatest showman the sport has ever seen—with the numbers to back up his unrivaled skill.

Formula 1: Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton [e]

During the 1950s, Juan Manuel Fangio dominated Formula 1, winning the World Drivers' Championship five times with four different teams. For F1 drivers with at least 15 starts, Fangio possesses the all-time highest winning percentage. Michael Schumacher surpassed Fangio’s championship record in 2003, securing his sixth title, and then added a seventh in 2004. Schumacher also tallied a record 77 fastest laps throughout his illustrious career. Another all-time great F1 driver was Ayrton Senna, who built a long list of impressive feats, including three championships with McLaren. His career was tragically cut short due to a fatal accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix[f], but his name is forever etched in the history books. More recently, Lewis Hamilton has driven his way into the record books with the most wins, pole positions, and podium finishes in the history of the sport. Considering that, and the fact that in 2020 he equalled Schumacher’s record seven World Championships, Hamilton takes first place on the all-time F1 podium.

Tennis: Martina Navratilova, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Roger Federer[g]

Martina Navratilova, with a record 9 Wimbledon singles titles and 59 major titles overall, was one of the most prolific tennis players in history. In 1983, she won 86 of 87 matches, achieving a historic 98.8 percent winning percentage for the season. On the men’s side, it’s hard to match what Novak Djokovic has done. He’s won the most Grand Slam men’s singles titles and holds the record for the most weeks ranked as the world’s number one player. During his rise to stardom, Serena Williams was bossing the women’s game—and she did it in both singles and doubles. A Career Golden Slam in singles and doubles is unheard of—but that’s what Serena did. However, in a close call for the top spot among tennis’s greats, we’re going with Roger Federer, who was ranked number one in the world for men’s singles for a record 237 weeks in a row. He displayed extraordinary consistency and versatility, winning a record 8 Wimbledon titles in men’s singles.

Basketball: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James[h], Michael Jordan

As the nucleus of the Celtics dynasty during the late 1950s and 1960s, Bill Russell dominated the boards and defense on his way to 11 championships in his 13-year NBA career. He was also a 5-time MVP and 12-time NBA All-Star. In the era that followed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the king of the center position and made his trademark skyhook an unstoppable art form. The Bucks and Showtime Lakers legend won a record 6 MVPs, made 19 All-Star appearances, and was absolutely dominant on both ends of the floor. When it comes to the best of the best, LeBron James has a strong case. The King’s longevity is unmatched—with the most NBA All-Star selections and the most points of any player in NBA history. His combination of elite athleticism, passing, scoring, basketball IQ, and durability is unparalleled. However, by the slightest of margins, we’re placing Michael Jordan at the top. Five MVPs and six Finals MVPs during two three-peats for the Bulls only scratch the surface of MJ’s historic greatness.

Baseball: Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth

If you have any of these guys’ baseball cards, good for you. Ted Williams was the last guy to have a 400-plus batting average in a season. The Boston Red Sox legend, whose career spanned from 1939 to 1960, got on base at a better rate than anyone ever. Then there was Hammerin’ Hank Aaron, who remains atop the list of players with the most runs batted in and the most All-Star selections. Not only did he swing the bat brilliantly, but he also held it down in the outfield, winning three Gold Glove Awards. During that same era, outfielder Willie Mays won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves—a run that started a few seasons after his all-time famous catch at the 1954 World Series. Offensively, he was a machine as well. However, it’s an older player who gets the nod for baseball GOAT: Babe Ruth. The Great Bambino was a slugger of the highest order. He remains at the top of the list or near the top of the list of essentially every major hitting category.

Football: Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, Tom Brady

When it comes to defense in the NFL, Lawrence Taylor was next level. L.T. remains the only rookie to have ever won NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and one of just two defensive players to ever win an MVP. On the offensive side of the ball in an era before Taylor, Jim Brown was a nightmare for opposing defenses. He led the league in rushing eight of the nine seasons he played and holds the record for the highest career rushing yards per game among qualified players. At the wide receiver position, it’s Jerry Rice at the top. The 49ers legend is the all-time leader in NFL career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches. Finally, at the most important position in football, we list our GOAT: quarterback Tom Brady. With the most career passing yards, touchdown passes, and wins by a player, the 7-time Super Bowl champion dissected defenses and led his team to victory like no other.

Hockey: Sidney Crosby, Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux[i], Wayne Gretzky

From the jump, Sidney Crosby showcased his stardom, becoming the youngest player to record 100 points in a season and the youngest player to lead the NHL in points in a season. Since, he’s gone on to tally double-digit All-Star Game appearances. Another iconic player who led the league in points, before Crosby’s time, was defenseman Bobby Orr. He’s the only defenseman to have ever done that—and he did it twice. Several years after Orr retired, Mario Lemieux started his journey to become an all-time hockey great. Super Mario led the NHL in points six times during the 1980s and 1990s and tallied 12 All-Star appearances by the end of his career. But the best on the all-time NHL Mount Rushmore is Wayne Gretzky, whose combination of hockey IQ, creativity, vision, and playmaking redefined the sport. ‘The Great One’ is the all-time leader in both goals and assists and holds dozens of other records as well.

Soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Pelé, Lionel Messi [j]

With the most Champions League goals and most international goals in soccer history, Cristiano Ronaldo mastered goalscoring. He’s thrived for many years, most notably at Real Madrid—where he won four Champions League titles. Well before then, there was the great Diego Maradona, who was an absolute maestro on the pitch. Maradona led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and was named the tournament’s best player. He and Brazilian legend Pelé were named co-winners of the FIFA Player of the Century award. Pelé also dazzled in an attacking role, averaging almost a goal a game for Brazil and Santos. At just 17, he scored in every knockout game en route to his first of three World Cup titles. But the title of GOAT belongs to Lionel Messi, who boasts the most extensive list of individual and team awards in soccer history. Beyond accolades, the Argentina and Barcelona legend has consistently delivered otherworldly magic on the pitch, executing countless brilliant dribbles, passes, and shots that few others would dare attempt, let alone pull off.


What sports legend do you wish you could’ve seen live? Let us know in the comments!

[a]You can read this as "goat"

[b]shane warn https://youtu.be/Q45BfqWmS_A?si=99D6Es1dVPkhuAxj&t=3
SOH-burs https://youtu.be/26mdmagrOTw?si=izs5ogbcwzOBqiUa&t=9
BRAD-min https://youtu.be/UcvglFW7OgQ?si=f0NLkawthqWEDR9P&t=8
SUCH-in ten-DOOL-kur https://forvo.com/search/Sachin%20Tendulkar/
[c]NICK-luss https://forvo.com/search/Jack%20Nicklaus/
[d]joe lewis https://youtu.be/LIoGsfZefpw?si=JFSYowbxzM1sdW2X&t=4
[e]AIR-tin senna https://youtu.be/EbfR60EiJP0?si=UyHXuJ8mVB-1wih7&t=17
h'WAWN man-WELL FANJY-oh (technically in spanish this should be pronounced "fan-HEE-oh, but everyone seems to say it this way in english) https://youtu.be/fN0hACj8Qhg?si=VEegqh-P7lvMhSQ-&t=14
michael SHOO-mawker https://forvo.com/search/Michael%20Schumacher/en/
[f]grawn pree (since this is french, the "d" is silent and you kind of stop halfway through the "n") https://youtu.be/7QIvK0r0_HA?si=mlw59EThPwMT7LW1&t=43
[g]mar-TEENA navra-tuh-LOH-vuh https://youtu.be/LJP1o2HSm_M?si=U1mYqMLnq6ODrVTM
NOH-vack JOKE-UH-vitch https://youtu.be/zWluaKRyeQw?si=tOfM59yDI3OP9QAc
FEDDER-ur https://youtu.be/76UyFQ8Zx1g?si=DX6pyoGWwwcr9P0j&t=3
[h]kuh-REEM abb-DOOL juh-BAR https://youtu.be/MpQYnCFWgqc?si=S1XXwfmbSRUVTzYg
luh-BRAWN james https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Juc-ItuPebs
Celtics = SELL-ticks https://youtu.be/OUcQiUhN_YA?si=p0Pb83GHJuXM6Q1_&t=12
[i]mawrry-oh luh-MYEUH - NOT luh-MYEW (this is hard to spell out phonetically, which is probably why everyone says it wrong, so pls take a listen!) https://youtu.be/ORLzURr2q-Q?si=K73Ma1wDGBQ1e4Bx&t=338
[j]criss-TYANNO roh-NAWL-doh https://forvo.com/search/Cristiano%20Ronaldo/
dee-AY-goh mare-uh-DONNA / mara-DON-ah https://forvo.com/search/Diego%20Maradona/es/
PAY-lay https://youtu.be/h29ItWwXdgY?si=aF1g2Ou9KplyGfin&t=8
lee-oh-NELL messy https://forvo.com/search/Lionel%20Messi/es/
ray-AL muh-DRID https://youtu.be/EnlOUOFpg20?
feefa https://forvo.com/search/fifa/en/
SAN-tose / SAN-toce (the last syllable rhymes with "dose") https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/29/Santos-futebol-clube-pronunciation-ptbr.ogg/Santos-futebol-clube-pronunciation-ptbr.ogg.mp3