7 Wonders of the World (Athletes)
There are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient and Modern World, why not in the Sporting World? We have created such lists as the 7 Wonders of the Sporting World (Venues), and 7 Wonders of the Sporting World (Events), and now it is time to present the 7 Wonders of the World (Athletes). See also the female version of this list.
We are not the first to create a list of the greatest athletes in the world, but here we have to compress it down to just seven of the greatest, of all time. What constitutes a sporting wonder? It is not just skill and sporting results. A wonder must dominate in their chosen sport, be a good sports person, good role model for the sport, and have worldwide appeal so that their profile is known outside of their sporting circles.
Our 7 Wonders
- Lionel Messi — there have been other greats in the world of football (Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo) but the Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi stands above them with his record 6 Ballon d'Ors.
- Usain Bolt — the greatest sprinter of all time and greatest Olympian of all time, having dominated world championships and Olympic Games in his sprint events.
- Muhammad Ali — one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, winning the Golden Gloves title and an Olympic gold medal, along with numerous honors, and captivating the world with his performances and personality.
Roger Federer, one of the all time Tennis greats- Roger Federer — one of the all time Tennis greats, winner of 20 Grand Slam singles titles.
- Michael Jordan — Jordan dominated basketball in the 1980s and 1990s, and was a trailblazer in advancing the skill level and popularity of the sport.
- Don Bradman — the greatest cricket player of all time. His statistical achievements were unparalleled in his 20-year career span. He finished with a Test average of 99.94 runs.
- Tiger Woods — One of the greatest golfers of all time, the winner of 15 Majors.
What do you think?
Related Pages
- 7 Wonders of the Sporting World (Female Athletes)
- 7 Wonders of the Sporting World (Venues)
- 7 Wonders of the Sporting World (Events)
- More 7 Wonders Lists
- Other lists of the greatest athletes in the world
- Who really is the greatest athlete of all time?
- Have your say of the greatest athlete
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Selected Comments
Live commenting is closed on this page, though here are a selection of comments received.
- Peter Fumberger (Nov 2020)
Have just seen your Seven Wonders of Men's Sports, and must correct you. Donald Bradman does not have the highest test cricket batting average. That honour goes to Andy Ganteaume, with a test cricket batting average of 112. And it matters not that he only played one test. And if you want another piece of trivia, to prevent you making a fool of yourself when in discussions about cricket, Bradman also does not have the highest Australian test cricket batting average. That honour goes to Albert Trott, with an average of 102.5/103, depending on which list you look at. Also, I know it is just your opinion, but Tiger Woods is not the greatest ever golfer. That honour goes to Jack Nicklaus, who is 3 majors ahead of Woods. Plus if memory serves, you had williams and Navratilova, and possibly Evert, ahead of Margaret Court in your top list of women sporting personages. Again, you go by majors, Mrs Court has 24 singles, to williams 23. Plus 40 others in doubles and mixed doubles. Mrs Court, the greatest ever female tennis player, no matter her views on homosexuality. Let's fact it, her views are nothing. The Australian Open was sponsored by Emirates, an airline run out of a country that has death for homosexuals on its statutes, simply for being homosexual. Yet it's Mrs Court's words that that idiot McEnroe and Navratilova up in arms.
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