An athlete is a person who is skilled in sports or physical activity. Athletes participate in a wide range of sports, including track and field, team sports like football and basketball, and individual sports like boxing, tennis, and golf.
Athletes have given sports lovers countless exciting stories, unforgettable moments, and so much fun.
We now rank the top five greatest athletes of all time, in no particular order.
1. Lionel Messi (Football)
Many consider this man from Rosario, Argentina, the greatest football player of all time. He is the most decorated football player ever, winning a total of 44 trophies, including the most valuable trophy in football, the World Cup. He has won the most individual awards, including eight Ballon d’Ors, six Golden Boots, and many other prestigious awards.
Naturally left-footed, quick, and precise in ball control, Messi is known as a keen pass distributor and can readily thread his way through packed defenses. His dribbling and playmaking abilities are exceptional.
2. Michael Jordan (Basketball)
He is Considered the greatest basketball player of all time, he played 15 seasons in the NBA and won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls. He holds the NBA record for career regular-season scoring average (30.1 points per game) and career playoff scoring average (33.4 points per game).
In 1999, Jordan was named the 20th century’s greatest North American athlete by ESPN and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press’ list of athletes of the century.
3. Muhammad Ali (Boxing)
He was one of the greatest boxers in history, the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. He held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970. He was the undisputed champion from 1974 to 1978 and the WBA and Ring heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1979. In 1999, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated and the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC.
He was known for his social message of black pride and black resistance to white domination and for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Football)
One of the greatest football players of all time, he has won five Ballon d’Ors, five Golden Boots, and five UEFA Champions League titles, among many other prestigious trophies and awards.
Ronaldo’s consistency, longevity, and impact on the game make a strong case for him being considered one of the greatest players of all time. He is beloved among football fans and is an icon.
5. Usain Bolt (Track & Field, Sprinting)
He is the most successful male athlete in World Championships history. Bolt is the first athlete to win four World Championship titles in the 200m and is one of the most successful in the 100m with three titles, being the first person to run sub-9.7s and sub-9.6s.
Widely considered the greatest sprinter of all time, he is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4×100 metres relay.
