These Legendary Sports Personalities are taken from various sports and have been great sport players at times by possessing a variety of attributes and contributing prowess. Over a considerable period of these sports personalities have earned the respect of his/her peers/followers. As a result of it, in a short span of time these sports personalities have attained a demi-god status too.
Must Read: India and Indians at the Olympics
Sports Personalities of the World
Pele
Edison Arantes do Nascimento, well known as Pele, is the only footballer to be the part of three World Cup-winning teams and is a retired Brazilian professional footballer. In 1363 games, he scored 1281 goals. Around the world every kid who plays soccer wants to be Pele. Pele won three times football World Cup with Brazil in the year 1958, 1962, and in 1966. For his accomplishments and contribution in football Pele is regarded as the greatest football player. Several times Pele has been honoured with titles such as FIFA World Cup (Best Young Player), FIFA World Cup (Silver Boot) in 1958, FIFA World Cup Silver Ball in 1958 and many more.
This Brazilian scored on average a goal in every game he played and is a legend of all-time leading scorer of the Brazil national football team. Pele is a well known advocate of overcoming poverty and has become a global ambassador for sport. He has been a worldwide ambassador for football ever since his retirement in 1977, and currently he is the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos.
Also Read: Introduction of Events in the Olympics
Muhammad Ali
“I’m not the greatest; I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round”- Muhammad Ali
The most influential sports personality of the 20th century was Muhammad Ali, an American professional boxer. He was Olympic champion as well as the greatest heavyweight boxer in the history of the sport. With his athletic prowess and formidable personality Muhammad Ali dominated the sport.
His first world championship title he won in the year 1964. The title “Sportsman of the Century” was honored to him by Sports Illustrated in 1999 and “Sports personalities of the Year” by the BBC. Ali is not just known as the greatest boxer to have lived, he is also considered one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. The title “Fighter of the Year” by Ring Magazine was also crowned to him as he defeated almost every top heavyweight in his era.
Usain Bolt
The fastest man on earth is Usain Bolt as he has set three world records at a single Olympics. The 100 metres race he completed in 9.69 seconds, the 200 metres race in 19.30 seconds, also the world record for the 4×100 metres relay. In both 100 metres and 200 metres races he is the world no.1 athlete. The greatest Jamaican, athletics Usain Bolt has conquered the world of athletics in a very short span of time. He is generally known as ‘Lightning Bolt’. He has been honoured with titles of IAAF World Athlete of the Year, BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 2008 and 2009,Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2009 and 2010 and many more.
You May Also Love to Read: Famous Personalities of Olympic Games
Sachin Tendulkar
One of the greatest batsmen of Indian Cricket Team is Sachin Tendulkar who is commonly known as the “Master Blaster”. In international cricket he is the only player of world who have scored 30,000 runs in his career. He also played in 200 Test matches and in 2011 won world cup with India. This former Indian cricketer and captain bowed cricket out in November 2013.
At the age of eleven he took up cricket and he left cricket after 24 years in his career which can never be forgotten. He is the only player to have scored one hundred international centuries, the first batsman to score a double century in a One Day International, and the holder of the record for the number of runs in both ODI and Test cricket. The first and youngest ever sportsperson to receive the award Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, till date is Sachin Tendulkar.
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher, a German is the greatest Formula One racing driver of all time. He became the youngest double formula one world champion in 1995. For seven times he remained Formula One World Champion. With Benetton he won two titles in 1994 and 1995 respectively before moving to Ferrari where he drove for eleven years. He won five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004 with Ferrari. He was honoured and awarded many times for his achievements and contribution in motor race. In 2002 and 2004, he was awarded with the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, in 2006, he was awarded an FIA Gold Medal for Motor Sport and more.
Don’t Miss: World’s Most Popular Sports