Ali Tops the Greatest Sports Figures of All Time

Continuing Sportsvibe's celebration of Muhammad Ali at 70 we look today at the top ten sportsmen and women of all time, or at least in the past 100 years. The list is contentious, of course, omits many strong contenders and also takes into account off "field" achievements, but only ten can be named so here goes ....

1) Muhammad Ali

The winner by some distance, not only for what he achieved in the ring, but also for what he achieved out of the ring. Is this relevant? In my opinion it is because Ali used sport and his standing within sport to get across crucial messages that helped shape the history of the United States, from civil rights to the Vietnam war. As a boxer he was without comparison. An athlete and a dancer, Ali possessed a jaw of steel and a mental strength rarely, if ever, matched in sport. His fights against Liston, Frazier and Foreman, in particular, are indelibly penned in the annals of sporting history.

2) Pele

Takes second place because football is the global game, and just pips Diego Maradona in the football vote. Edison Arantes do Nascimento, to give him his full name, was the biggest star in football for two decades. He remains the all-time leading scorer for Brazil, averaging a goal a game, and between 1956 and 1974 he scored a total of 1,220 goals. Pele is the only player to win three world cups, including in 1970 when he scored and assisted Carlos Alberto's fourth in the 4-1 win over Italy. As if this is not enough Pele achieved it all with charm.

3) Martina Navratilova

Beats Roger Federer by a forehand winner, and not just because the Czech-turned American has 18 Grand Slam singles titles to the Swiss 16 Slams. Navratilova also has the small matter of 31 Grand Slam doubles titles (an all-time record) and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles to her name as well, making a Grand Slam total of 59 titles in all, and is also one of three women to have accomplished a career Grand Slam in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

4) Jack Nicklaus

Pips Tiger Woods by a putt by virtue of his 18 Majors titles to Woods's 14 and, considering the latter's rather unfortunate downfall, it now seems unlikely the Golden Bear can be caught. Woods, of course, has revolutionised golf since he dominated the field but so, too, did Jack, initially alongside Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. The three golfers turned golf into the commerical, TV-dominated big business that it is today, and for this all golfers since should be eternally grateful.      

5) Don Bradman

Heads a field of cricketing challengers that include Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne, the "Don" is regarded as the best batsman of all time, famously averaging 99.94 runs in his test cricket career. A greedy run maker once Bradman was set the opposition - usually England - knew they were in for a hard time. The late Bradman is seen by many as the greatest person in Australian history.

6) Carl Lewis

Beats Jesse Owens by a neck as the greatest track and field athlete in history after a career that spanned from 1979 to 1996. In this time he won 10 Olympic medals, and 9 golds. These included four, successive long jump titles in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996, the last won at the age of 35, as well as triumphs in the 100 metres, twice, the sprint relay twice, and the 200 metres. The International Olympic Committee named him the greatest athlete of the 20th century.

7) Michael Schumacher

Another contentious vote, with many believing that Juan Manuel Fangio or Ayrton Senna were the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. Statistically Schumi wins it by a couple of laps with more world titles (7), more wins (91), more poles (68) and podiums (154) than any other driver in the history of the sport. True, he had his moments of controversy, but he also turned Ferrari around which proved there was more to the German than simply driving fast.

8) Michael Phelps

Difficult not to include a man who, with 14 Olympic gold medals to his name, has been an Olympic champion more than any other athlete in the history of the Games. I was there in 2008 in Beijing to see the American claim 8 golds, thus beating his compatriot Mark Spitz's previous record of 7 won in 1972. This is in addition to the mere 6 golds he took in Athens in 2004. Due to compete in London this year Phelps may not be finished, either. Not bad for a guy who used to be scared of water!

9) Michael Jordan

Without any question the greatest basketball player in history who dominated the sport in the 1980's and 90's and was the most famous sportsman, if not person, in America. The 6ft 6in shooting guard was the closest thing to a human flying when he set off for a slam dunk. Under his spell the Chicago Bulls became the best team in American basketball.

10 Lance Armstrong Slightly contentious, again, because there are some who question whether Armstrong has always been clean whilst winning his races, but he was never caught and can only be assumed to be innocent of all accusations. What cannot be argued with is the fact that he beat cancer and death, having been given only a slim chance of survival, to then win seven Tour de France's, which is the all time record and places other such cycling luminaries such as Eddie Merckx, Miguel Indurain and Bernard Hinault in his slipstream.

Others who just failed to make the cut include: Diego Maradona, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Jesse Owens, Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna, Wayne Gretzky, Babe Ruth.