Top 10 biggest Sport Icons in the World

Welcome. Today I will be discussing who are the biggest sports Icon in the world. Not big icons in their villages, towns or country. I am talking about big sporting icons that are reconised and  well respected throught out the world.

This my Top 10:

10:

Brian Charles Lara
Brian Lara is undoubtedly one of the best batsmen of all time and certainly one of the best of the modern era.
He topped the Test batting rankings on several occasions and holds several cricketing records, holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket, with 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994  that was only in only 428 balls by hitting 62 boundaries and 10 huge sixes, which is the only quintuple hundred in first-class cricket history

He Also holds the record of highest individual score in test cricket with 400 not out for Windies against England.
He is the only batsman to have ever scored a hundred, a double century, a triple century, a quadruple century and a quintuple century in first class games over the course of a senior career. Lara also holds the test record of scoring most number of runs in a single over in a Test match, when he scored 28 runs off an over by Robin Peterson of South Africa in 2003
At that Lara was smashing all the bowlers even the best. The hunger to score runs was there and he was playing some marvellous cricket at that time. It was not to easy to dismiss Brian Lara at that time, he was treating some very good and talented bowlers like an average bowler. He was full of self confidence at that time.
For his cricketing exploits, he remains an inspiration to many young cricketers, particularly batsmen, in Trinidad and Tobago.
Unlike Sachin Tendulkar, he can play all over the world with authority, whereas people consider Sachin as a very good player only of home soil.

9:



Jonah lomu
New Zealand rugby union footballer who has played 73 times (63 caps) as an All Black
He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. One of the sport's most intimidating players on the field, he has had a huge impact on the game
At 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Lomu is as tall as most locks, and at 119 kg (262 lb) is as heavy as most props. Despite his size (he was the All Blacks heaviest ever back), at his peak he was still able to run 100 metres in 10.89 seconds

At the height of his powers Jonah Lomu was by far the best and most famous rugby player in the world. His fame spread beyond only rugby supporters and he is considered one of the first real superstars of the sport

One of the sport's most intimidating players on the field, he has had a huge impact on the game. He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame on 9 October 2007.
Jonah turned down a multi-million dollar offer to play American football.

Jonah has a wax likeness of himself at Madame Tussauds in London.
Has his own Playstation game - "Jonah Lomu's Rugby"





8:

David Beckham
You might think David Beckham? He’s only good at two thing’s crossing the ball and taking a free kicks.
But Without doubt, England’ former captain David Beckham. He is the most searched for sports personality on the Internet and the most recognized non-politician in the world. Ask anyone in any football playing countries the world - i.e. 99.9% of countries - for their heroes, and Beckham comes close to the top especially in Asia.

In addition to his success on the pitch, Beckham has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the Time 100 (Heroes & Icons) and has received many other accolades for his charitable work and leadership off the pitch. He was given the "Britain's Greatest Ambassador" award in May 2007. Most recent on sports BBC’s sports personality of the year David Beckham won life time award which was presented by his former team mate Ryan Giggs. Who I thought was a better player and deserved the award more then Beckham did. 
In the early 2000's, Beckham was the world's highest-paid player, and is today well-known as an elite global advertising brand.






7:

Roger Federer
Roger Federer is he the greatest Tennis player the world has seen? I think so. Is he better then Pete Sampras? A tough one to answer.  I say yes, he was a better tennis player then Sampras and better then other players. If you remember which player knocked Sampras in Wimbledon  2001 when Sampras was going for his fifth straight title which would have equalled Bjorn Borg's record, was silenced in a five-set thriller by a composed teenager with a tantalising array of shots Roger Federer.

He simply has the most complete game the world has ever seen. Where Pete Sampras had a weak backhand, Federer’s subtle flick of the wrist is one of the delights of world tennis. Where Bjorn Borg burnt out, Federer’s career is long-lived. Where Agassi would scuttle back to the baseline Federer is equally imperious at the net as he is from the back of the court.

Roger Federer is undoubtedly the most consistent and talented sportsman of the last decade. He has reached an incredible 22 consecutive grand slam finals, spanning five years, and has won an unprecedented 15 grand slams.
But more than his shot making, it is his mental strength that places him on a different playing field from others.
Roger Federer’s dominance of the men’s tennis scene since 2003 has been unprecedented. He’s just the sixth player to notch a career Grand Slam and no player has won more Slams than he has.



















6:

Michael Jordan
In my eyes, Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time. There are many other people that would agree with me, even if they don’t like the Chicago Bulls or even Jordan himself, just because his achievements demand respect. Very few people have even come close to greatness the way Michael Jordan has, and few ever will. He is a major part of the NBA’s history. He has left a legacy that started before my time and will last long after.
Michael Jordan is an American icon in a multitude of ways, but above all he speaks as a cultural icon with his amazing, all-around, graceful, improvisational and lightning quick skills on the basketball court. 
Jordan can score from the perimeter and inside of the paint. He can handle the ball, and most importantly, he can play defence.

Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honours, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP awards, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century
Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fuelled the success of Nike's Air Jordan trainers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today. Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam as himself. He is the majority owner and head of basketball operations for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats; he recently won a bidding war to buy controlling interest in the team from founding owner Robert L. Johnson.
Michael Jordan has captured the hearts and minds of black and white America as a basketball player who symbolizes the American Dream and has become a true American icon. With his distinctive style of play, he has dominated the NBA since his rookie year and been deemed the greatest basketball player of all time by publications and broadcasts from Sports Illustrated to ESPN SportsCenter.
There have been many great players come in NBA Since Jordan has retired. Kobe Byant, lebron and Iverson. But none of them can match Michael Jordan charisma, drive and magic when needed.





5:
Usain Bolt
There have been some great sprinters such as Carl Lewis, Linford Christie, Maurice Green and Asafa Powell. But now we have the one. Usain Bolt is the fastest man on the planet and a sportsman like no other. Bolt now surpassed Michael Johnson as the best athlete off all time. He has beaten Michael Johnson's 200m world record and smashed his own world record.

The Jamaican sprinter’s performance at the Beijing Games was one of the most remarkable in history. It was there that he set the Olympic and world records for the 100 metres at 9.69 seconds (even though he slowed down at the finish to celebrate), the 200 metres at 19.30 seconds, and also the world record for the 4x100 relay, making him the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first man in history to set world records in all three at a single Olympics. That he set these records without seemingly trying makes it all the more unbelievable.
The first sport to interest him was cricket and he said if he was not a sprinter he would be a fast bowler instead  As a child he was a supporter of Pakistan and admired the bowling of Waqar Younis.He is also a fan of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian opener Chris Gayle and Australian opener Matthew Hayden. Bolt has also expressed his love for football and is a fan of Manchester United




4: 


Michael Schumacher
This was a difficult one to choose. It was either Michael Schumacher or Ayton Senna. This blog is about greatest sport icons in the world. In that sense it has to be the Red Barron Scheuy. Senna was one of the greats but Schumacher was the greatest record-breaker in the history of sport. You name it, he achieved it. Senna was the complete driver: brave, fast, skilful, exciting and daring. We will never know whether Senna would have overcome Schumacher in what could have been one of the most fascinating battles in the history of Formula One.

Although controversies about collisions will perhaps tarnish his legacy, the record seven-time Formula One world drivers’ champion is regarded as the best F1 driver in history. Not only is he credited with helping to turn Ferrari into the team it is today, but he is the only F1 driver to have an entire season of podium finishes, an achievement he accomplished in 2002.
 His unprecedented five Formula One championships in a row (2000-04) made him arguably Europe's most famous athlete. (In '04, Schumacher hauled in about $80 million from endorsements, second only to Tiger.) In 2002, he won 11 of 17 races during a season in which he never finished lower than third, and in '04 set the F1 single-season mark of 13 wins, all while rules and technologies were changed for the sake of a little parity as well as safety. 






Tiger Woods
The number of people interested in golf, as a sport or as a recreation, is drastically increasing. Golf used to be known as a boring sport that was played by snobby rich old people with silly checked sweaters and hats. Not anymore Tiger Woods has changed the image of the Golf.  He made the sport seem "cool" Tiger Woods is the reason why so many people watch golf when he’s playing and not watch when he isn’t. Tiger has been a big influence on kids, adults and fellow pro players. He has changed the way pga players now train to play golf. All pga players today have a personal trainer which was not the case before Tiger.

His achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No. 1, he is the highest-paid professional athlete in the world, according to Forbes, Woods is the first athlete to earn a cool billion in winnings and endorsements, although his public image has taken a huge hit with a flood of revelations about his infidelity.

In a sport where he competes against the world's best, Tiger Woods has proven he is the best of the best .Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open in a 91-hole marathon over Rocco Mediate while playing on a double-stress-fractured left leg and with a torn ligament in his knee that subsequently required surgery and eight months of recovery.
Tiger already holds most of the records that matter and he is only in his 30s. Tiger Woods is the most talented golfer ever to play the game. The golfer is looked up to as a role model of hard work and determination. He is also into a charity helping the underprivileged who dream to become the best golf players someday.
The best golf player there will ever be, even with all this scandals and what not. Wood wins absolutely every tournament







2:

Diego Maradona
This was between Diego and Pele. Of course Pele was a great player. But Diego was better then Pele. Diego Maradona was never surrounded by great players when he played for Argentina. Pele did throughout his career for Brazil. For example there were number of decent of players in the team of 58 such. In 1962 when Brazil won their 2^nd world cup, it was Garrincha that was the player of the tournament. In 1970 again they had talented team.
For club sides Pele never played in Europe. Maradona played in the two of the toughest league of Spain and Italy.

Diego Maradona won the 1986 World Cup almost single-handedly. He will always be remembered for his unbelievable performance at the 1986 edition of the competition. His two goals against England in the quarterfinals included the infamous "Hand of God" goal and one of the best World Cup feats of all time, as he left five English players in his wake to score single-handedly. Argentina would go on to win the competition thanks to Maradona. He also had a tremendous club football career, for Boca Juniors, Barcelona and in particular, Napoli. It was at Napoli that he elevated the team to the most successful era in their history. Led by Maradona, Napoli won their only Serie A Italian Championships in 86/87 and then in 89/90. They also came second in 87/88 and 88/89, as well as winning the Coppa Italia in 87, the UEFA Cup in 89 and the Italian Super cup in 90. Also Maradona was the top scorer in Serie A in 87/88.
Maradona's main strength was his incredible technique, which allowed him to move the ball with pin-point accuracy. Maradona was voted best player of all time in an internet poll held by FIFA, much to the chagrin of Pele-fans, who contended that such a poll was bound to attract voters who had never seen Pele play.
 Since his retirement from football, Maradona's life has been marred by drugs abuse and health issue.
Arguably, football's greatest ever talent also remains one of the sport's most controversial players
Football remains a team sport, but Maradona seems an exception to that maxim.







1:

Mohammed Ali
Possibly the greatest of them all. Ali wowed fans in the boxing ring with his great hand speed, quick feet and taunting tactics. Undoubtedly the most coveted fighter in boxing history Ali entertained fans out of the ring also with his controversial beliefs, amazing confidence and famous sayings

Ali is not just known as the greatest boxer to have lived, he is also considered one of the greatest sportsmen of all time – in 1999 Ali was named “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated magazine. The boxer defeated almost every top heavyweight in his era, and was named “Fighter of the Year” by Ring Magazine more times than any other boxer.
Muhammad Ali was electrifying. Ali was an exciting, outspoken, undefeated boxing phenomenon in his prime. He fought in some of the most interesting fights in boxing history. If you look at who he fought; Ken Norton (2x), Sonny Liston (2x), George Foreman, Leon Spinks and Joe Frazier. His class was a tough one.

His first professional achievement happened in 1960, when he defeated Tunney Hunsaker. During the period between 1960-1963, Muhammad Ali had a record breaking winning spree by defeating pros such as Tony Esperti, Jim Robinson, Alonzo Johnson, Doug Jones etc. In 1964, Ali defeated Sonny Liston and won the Heavyweight Champion of the World title. It is also said that Ali, disgusted with incidents of racism, chucked his Olympic medal into a river as a way of protest and opted for Islam religion.

Ali refused to serve in the U.S. military during the war in Vietnam; his title was revoked and he was sentenced to five years in prison for draft evasion. (The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the conviction in 1971.) He had a long-running rivalry with fellow heavyweight Joe Frazier, whom he fought three times: Ali lost the first match in 1971, but won rematches in 1974 and 1975. Ali also defeated George Foreman in the famous 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali retired from boxing in 1981, but in the decades since has remained one of the world's best-known athletes

He was also known for his pre-match hype, where he would 'trash talk' opponents on television and in person some time before the match, often with rhymes. These personality quips, idioms along with an unorthodox fighting technique made him a cultural icon. In later life, Ali developed Parkinson's disease due to the injuries he sustained throughout his career. In 1999, Ali was crowned "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated and "Sports Personality of the Century" by the BBC.