- 1Lionel "Leo" Andrés Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record six Ballon d'Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474), a La Liga and European league season (50), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (8), and most assists in La Liga (192), a La Liga and European league season (21) and the Copa América (17). He's scored over 750 senior career goals.
- Profession: Footballer
- 2Cristiano Ronaldo, born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, is a globally recognized football player known for his extraordinary skills and precision on the field. His journey to stardom began with playing for Andorinha and Nacional during his childhood years before moving to Sporting CP soccer academy at age twelve. It was here that he honed his abilities leading to his professional debut in 2002. Ronaldo's career took a significant leap when he signed with Manchester United in 2003. His time at United saw him bagging three consecutive Premier League titles along with a UEFA Champions League title. He also won the Ballon d'Or award - an honor given annually to the world's best footballer - for the first time while being part of this team. In 2009, Ronaldo made a high-profile move to Real Madrid which further solidified his place as one of football's all-time greats. During his tenure at Madrid, he helped the club secure two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies among other accolities. Furthermore, it was during this period that he clinched four more Ballon d'Or awards showcasing consistent excellence throughout these years. Ronaldo later signed with Juventus in 2018, citing his need for a a new challenge as his reason for leaving Real Madrid. Later he attributed his transfer to his feeling of a lack of support from the Real Madrid club president. Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr in 2023, rsulting in an increased popularity both domestically and internationally for the Saudi Pro League.
- Profession: Soccer Player
votes needed!NEW TO THE LIST
NEW#19Travis Kelce- NEW#12Simone Biles
- 3LeBron James, born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio is a globally recognized professional basketball player who has left an indelible mark on the sport. Raised by his mother Gloria Marie James in their hometown, he showed prodigious talent for basketball from an early age. His high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School was marked by numerous accolades and widespread media attention which set him up as one of the most promising players of his generation. James made a direct leap from high school to the National Basketball Association (NBA) when he was drafted as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 NBA Draft. Though he has been in the league for multiple decades, LeBron has only played for three teams: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers where he proved himself as an exceptional athlete with remarkable versatility and endurance. He is widely esteemed for not only his offensive prowess but also his defensive abilities. Throughout his career, LeBron James has amassed numerous awards including four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards and four NBA championships among others. LeBron's influence extends beyond basketball as he's well-known for philanthropy work through The LeBron James Family Foundation. His life journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the greatest basketball players serves as an inspiration to many around the globe.
- Profession: Basketball player, Television producer, Screenwriter, Athlete, Voice acting
- 4Steph Curry, born as Wardell Stephen Curry II on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, has become one of the most influential figures in the realm of professional basketball. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, and older brother to fellow NBA player Seth Curry, basketball was embedded into Steph's DNA from an early age. Despite being overlooked by major colleges due to his slender frame, he proved himself at Davidson College, where he led the nation in scoring and was nominated for the John R. Wooden Award during his junior year. In 2009, Curry was drafted as the seventh overall pick by the Golden State Warriors, a team with which he would create a lasting legacy. His uncanny shooting accuracy, innovative ball-handling skills, and unmatched court vision revolutionized the game, earning him two consecutive Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in 2015 and 2016 - the latter being the first unanimous decision in NBA history. Moreover, under his leadership, the Warriors clinched four NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022, solidifying their dominance during that period. Off the court, Curry is known for his philanthropy and activism. He established the "Eat. Learn. Play." foundation with his wife Ayesha, aiming to end childhood hunger, ensure access to quality education, and provide safe spaces for children to play and be active. Furthermore, he has been vocal about social justice issues, using his platform to promote change. Beyond athletics, Curry's influence extends to inspiring the next generation with his commitment to community service and his embodiment of the power of resilience and determination.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 5Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (born 5 February 1992), commonly known as Neymar Jr. or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his dribbling, finishing, skill, pace, and ability to play with both feet. Neymar came into prominence at an early age at Santos, where he made his professional debut aged 17. He helped the club win two successive Campeonato Paulista championships, a Copa do Brasil, and the 2011 Copa Libertadores, with the latter Santos' first since 1963. Neymar was twice named the South American Footballer of the Year, in 2011 and 2012, and soon relocated to Europe to join Barcelona. As part of Barça's attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, he won the continental treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, and came third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015 for his performances. He then attained a domestic double in the 2015–16 season. In 2017, Neymar transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a move worth €222 million, making him the most expensive player ever. In France, he won two league titles, a Coupe de France, and a Coupe de la Ligue, which included a domestic treble and being voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year, in his debut season. Neymar's second season with PSG was heavily injury-riddled and marked by controversies.With 60 goals in 97 matches for Brazil since debuting at age 18, Neymar is the third highest goalscorer for his national team, trailing only Pelé and Ronaldo. He was a key player in Brazil's victories at the 2011 South American Youth Championship, where he finished as leading goalscorer, and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. His participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa América was cut short by injury and a suspension, respectively, but, the following year, he captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men's football at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and two years later, featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Off the pitch, Neymar ranks among the world's most prominent sportsmen; SportsPro named him the most marketable athlete in the world in 2012 and 2013, and ESPN cited him as the world's fourth-most famous athlete in 2016. In 2017, Neymar was listed by Time to be one of the most influential people in the world, and in 2019, Forbes ranked him the world's third highest-paid athlete (after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo).
- Profession: Footballer
- 6John Cena, born on April 23, 1977, in West Newbury, Massachusetts, has become one of the most recognizable figures in the world of professional wrestling and beyond. With his distinctive catchphrase "You can't see me," and his signature move, the "Attitude Adjustment", Cena has become a symbol of strength and determination, not only within the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) but also in popular culture. Cena's journey to stardom began when he pursued bodybuilding after graduating from Springfield College in Massachusetts with a degree in exercise physiology. His passion for fitness led him to a career in professional wrestling, where he debuted in the WWE in 2002. Since then, Cena has won a record-tying 16 world titles, becoming one of the most decorated wrestlers in the history of the sport. His relentless work ethic, charisma, and natural talent have made him a fan favorite around the world. However, Cena's impact extends far beyond the wrestling ring. He has made a successful transition to Hollywood, appearing in films such as Trainwreck and Bumblebee. Moreover, Cena is also known for his philanthropy. He holds the record for the most wishes granted by a single individual through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, reflecting his unwavering dedication to giving back to the community. From his humble beginnings to his superstar status, John Cena's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, hard work, and dedication.
- Profession: Bodybuilder, Rapper, Wrestler, Musician, Actor
- 7Rafael Nadal Parera (born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is ranked world No. 5 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), has been ranked No. 1 for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal has won 21 Grand Slam men's singles titles, the most in history. He has won 90 ATP singles titles, with 62 on clay, including a record 13 French Open titles and 26 of his 36 Masters titles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay is the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
- Profession: Tennis player, Athlete
- 8Born as Eldrick Tont Woods on December 30, 1975, the man who would come to be known globally as Tiger Woods has etched his name deeply into the annals of golf history. Raised in Cypress, California, Woods was introduced to the sport at a tender age by his father, Earl Woods, himself an amateur golfer. With this early introduction to the sport, Woods displayed an undeniable talent and passion for golf that catapulted him to international fame. Woods' career is a testament to his talent, resilience, and ambition. He attended Stanford University on a golf scholarship, but only stayed for two years before turning professional in 1996. His prowess on the green led him to become the youngest ever Masters winner in 1997, a record he still holds today. Over the years, he accumulated an impressive array of titles, including 15 major championships, solidifying his status as one of the most successful golfers of all time. Woods' triumphs extend beyond the green; he's been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record eleven times and is the only player to have won all four professional major championships in a row, a feat known as the Tiger Slam. His victory at the 2019 Masters Tournament is often hailed as one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. Off the course, Woods has leveraged his success to launch the TGR Foundation, which supports community-based programs that improve health, education, and welfare. Tiger Woods' story is one of immense talent, perseverance in the face of adversity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, making him a compelling figure in the world of sports.
- Profession: Golfer, Athlete, Writer
- 9The top-ranked player in men's singles tennis as of 2016, and arguably one of the best in the history of the sport, Novak Djokovic won numerous titles at nearly every major tennis tournament, including more than 10 Grand Slam singles, three Wimbledon titles and the Career Gland Slam, in less than two decades as a professional athlete. Born May 22, 1987 in Belgrade, SR Serbia, he was the eldest of three sons by Srdan and Dijana Djokovic; both of his younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, also pursued careers in professional tennis. He fell in love with the sport at the age of four and soon began his training; by his teenaged years, Djokovic was shuttling between his home in Serbia and training facilities in Germany to work with Jelena Gencic, who coached Monica Seles, among other tennis greats. At 14, he won the silver medal in team competition at the World Junior Championship, and was named European champion in the under-16 category the following year. Djokovic turned professional in 2003 and soon earned significant placement at both the 2005 Wimbledon and U.S. Open competitions. In 2006, he won his first Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event by capturing the Dutch Open without losing a set, which minted him as the youngest professional in the ATP's Top 20 at the age of 20. He quickly advanced to the Top 10 with a win at the Masters Series in 2007, beating such top-ranked players as Rafael Nadal and later, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer at the Rogers Cup that same year. His first Grand Slam series titles came in 2008 with the defeat of Jo-Wilifried Tsonga in the finals of the Australian Open, with a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics coming later that same year. Ranked No. 2 by the ATP in 2010, he solidified his world-class standings by capturing 43 wins in a row the following year, culminating in a win against Tsonga at Wimbledon that year, which moved him up to the top of the ATP list. He carried the Serbian flag at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he failed to secure his second bronze; a flurry of battles against Federer, Murray, Tsonga and David Ferrer briefly cost him his No. 1 ranking, but he regained it by besting Federer at the 2012 ATP World Tour Finals. After taking on former Wimbledon champ Boris Becker as his head coach in 2013, he would lose the top ranking that year to Nadal, but surpassed him the following year by defeating Federer in five sets. By 2015, Djokovic had collected eight Grand Slam trophies and became the first player to win five Australian Open titles, and added a third Wimbledon win, his second U.S. Open win and the first tennis player to win four consecutive end-of-year finals. He claimed his 60th tour-level trophy in Qatar in 2016, and in rapid succession, won the Australian Open, the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments and the French Open, among others, to become the third player in history to hold all four major titles at the same time.
- Profession: Tennis Player
- 10Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver. He currently competes in Formula One for Mercedes, having previously driven for McLaren from 2007 to 2012. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Michael Schumacher), and holds the records for the most wins (103), pole positions (103), and podium finishes (182), among others.
- Profession: Formula One Driver
- 11Conor Anthony McGregor (born July 14, 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist and boxer. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight champion. McGregor started his MMA career in 2008 and, in 2012, he won both the Cage Warriors Featherweight and Lightweight Championships, holding both titles simultaneously before vacating them to sign with the UFC. In 2015, at UFC 194, he defeated José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship via knockout thirteen seconds into the first round, which is the fastest victory in UFC title fight history. Upon defeating Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 205, McGregor became the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight divisions simultaneously.
- Profession: Mixed Martial Artist
- 12American gymnast Simone Biles held what was arguably one of the best records in the history of her sport, with more than a dozen World Championship medals and three consecutive world all-around titles, all achieved before she reached the age of 20. Born Simone Arianne Biles in Columbus, Ohio on March 14, 1997, she and her three siblings were placed into foster care after their mother, who suffered from substance and alcohol issues, was unable to care from them. Biles and her sister, Adria, were then adopted by their maternal grandparents, Ronnie and Nellie Biles, who raised the siblings in Texas. There, she was introduced to gymnastics during a day care field trip to a gym; a coach noticed Biles imitating the other gymnasts and contacted her parents about training. She began competing at the state level in her early teens, capturing top honors in all-around and floor exercise before entering the national competition field. Biles soon added all-around and vault titles at the 2011 Gliders International and 2012 Alamo Classics before securing a place on the U.S. Junior National Team with a first place win at the VISA Championship that same year. She made her international debut at the 2013 American Cup and soon took home four first place titles at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy that same year. Soon after, Biles was named national all-around champion at the 2013 P&G Championships, with the world all-around title and placement on the Senior National Team coming that same year. A shoulder injury kept her out of competition for the start of the 2014 season, but quickly rebounded to defend her national all-around title, along with two additional medals at the P&G Championships that same year. That number rose to a record-setting six medals later that year at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, China; by the following year, Biles had turned professional and became the second woman to secure three titles at the U.S. National Championships, the first to win three consecutive all-around titles at the World Gymnastics Championships and the only American athlete to hold 14 World Championship medals. Officially minted as the reigning U.S. champion in all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise for 2016, she qualified for the U.S. National Team to compete at the Summer Olympics in Rio that year.
- 13
Patrick Mahomes II
Tyler, TexasPatrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He is the son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes. Mahomes played college football and college baseball at Texas Tech University. Following his sophomore year, he quit baseball to focus solely on football. Mahomes' junior year, he led all NCAA Division 1 players in multiple categories including passing yards (5,052 yards) and passing touchdowns (53 touchdowns). He then entered the 2017 NFL Draft where he was the tenth overall selection by the Kansas City Chiefs.- Profession: Football Player
- 14Nikola Jokić (born February 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays the center position. The three-time NBA All-Star has been named to the All-NBA Team on three occasions (including two first-team selections), and has won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2020–21 NBA season. He also represents the Serbian national team. Nicknamed "the Joker", Jokić was selected by the Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 15Luka Dončić (born February 28, 1999) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Slovenian national team. Born in Ljubljana as the son of former player Sa-a Dončić, Dončić shone as a youth player for Union Olimpija, before signing with Real Madrid at age 13 in 2012. After debuting in the senior side at age 16, the youngest in club history, he led Madrid to the 2018 EuroLeague title, winning the EuroLeague MVP and EuroLeague Final Four MVP awards at age 19. He was also named the ACB Most Valuable Player, and won back-to-back EuroLeague Rising Star and ACB Best Young Player awards. In 2018, Dončić declared for the NBA draft and subsequently joined the Dallas Mavericks in the United States. A Slovenian international, Dončić made his senior debut for Slovenia in 2016 at age 17, helping it win its first EuroBasket title in 2017, while being named into the All-Tournament Team.
- Profession: Basketball Player
- 16Giannis Antetokounmpo (born December 6, 1994) is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed the "Greek Freak" due to his athleticism, he primarily plays forward, but is also capable of playing guard with his ball-handling skills. During the 201516 season, he became the Bucks' primary playmaker. In 201617, he led the Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He is of Nigerian descent.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 17
Mohamed Salah
Basyoun, EgyptMohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly (born 15 June 1992) is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Liverpool and the Egypt national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed. Following his performances at the 2012 Summer Olympics. he was named CAF Most Promising African Talent of the Year.[9] Since then, he has helped Egypt reach the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, and was top scorer during CAF qualification to help the team qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. For his performances, Salah was named CAF African Footballer of the Year, BBC African Footballer of the Year, and was selected in the CAF Team of the Year and Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament.- Profession: Athlete, Footballer
- 18Max Emilian Verstappen (born 30 September 1997) is a Belgian-Dutch racing driver and the 2021 Formula One World Champion. He competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One with Red Bull Racing. He is the son of former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen. At the age of 18, he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his debut for Red Bull Racing, becoming the youngest-ever driver and the first Dutch driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. He finished the 2019 and 2020 championships in third place. After winning the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he became the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship, and the 34th Formula One World Drivers' Champion. As of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he has achieved 20 victories and 13 pole positions. At the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, he scored the first Grand Slam of his career. Verstappen is due to remain at Red Bull until at least the end of the 2023 season after signing a contract extension.
- Profession: Formula One Driver
- 19
Travis Kelce
Westlake, Ohio, USATravis Kelce is an actor who appeared in "Catching Kelce."- Profession: Athlete, American football player
- 20Virat Kohli (pronunciation ; born 5 November 1988) is an Indian cricketer who currently captains the India national team. A right-handed top-order batsman, Kohli is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world. He plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and has been the team's captain since 2013. Since October 2017, he has been the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world and is currently the leading batsman in the Test rankings. Among Indian batsmen, Kohli has the best ever Test rating (937 points), ODI rating (911 points) and T20I rating (897 points). Kohli captained India Under-19s to victory at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, and a few months later, made his ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka at the age of 19. Initially having played as a reserve batsman in the Indian team, he soon established himself as a regular in the ODI middle-order and was part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup. He made his Test debut in 2011 and shrugged off the tag of "ODI specialist" by 2013 with Test hundreds in Australia and South Africa. Having reached the number one spot in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen for the first time in 2013, Kohli also found success in the Twenty20 format, winning the Man of the Tournament twice at the ICC World Twenty20 (in 2014 and 2016). Kohli was appointed the vice-captain of the ODI team in 2012 and handed over the Test captaincy following Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Test retirement in 2014. In early 2017, he became the limited-overs captain as well after Dhoni stepped down from the position. In ODIs, Kohli has the second highest number of centuries and the highest number of centuries in run-chases in the world. He holds the world record for being the fastest batsman to 10,000 and 11,000 runs in ODI cricket, reaching the milestones in 205 and 222 innings respectively.Kohli has been the recipient of many awards such as the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) in 2017 and 2018; ICC Test Player of the Year 2018; ICC ODI Player of the Year in 2012, 2017 and 2018 and Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He was given the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Padma Shri under the sports category in 2017 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour in India, in 2018. Kohli is ranked as one of the world's most famous athletes by ESPN and one of the most valuable athlete brands by Forbes. In 2018, Time magazine named Kohli one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
- Profession: Cricketer
- 21Kevin Durant, born on September 29, 1988, is an influential figure in the world of basketball. He emerged from humble beginnings in Washington D.C., where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. His passion for basketball began at a young age, and it became a driving force that led him to pursue a career in the sport. Durant attended the University of Texas for one year, where he played college basketball and won numerous awards, including the prestigious Naismith College Player of the Year. In 2007, Durant's talent was recognized on a national scale when he was selected as the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Draft. Following a successful rookie season, he continued to rise in prominence as the team relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. During his time with the Thunder, Durant earned several accolades, including four NBA scoring titles, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and made multiple appearances in the NBA All-Star Game. Durant's career took a significant turn in 2016 when he signed with the Golden State Warriors. His move was met with controversy, but Durant proved his worth by helping the Warriors secure two consecutive NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018. He also received the NBA Finals MVP award in both years. Despite facing adversity in the form of an Achilles injury in 2019, Durant demonstrated resilience and determination. He later joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, and then the Phoenix Suns in 2023.
- Profession: Basketball player, Actor, Athlete
- 22Shohei Ohtani (born July 5, 1994) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Pacific League. Ohtani was the first pick of the Fighters in the 2012 draft. He has officially recorded the fastest pitch by a Japanese pitcher and in NPB history at 165 kilometres per hour (102.5 mph). He was named the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year.
- Profession: Baseball player
- 23Manuel Peter Neuer (born 27 March 1986) is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and captain for both Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Neuer has been described as a "sweeper-keeper" because of his unique playing style and speed when rushing off his line to anticipate opponents; he is also known for his quick reflexes, excellent shot-stopping abilities, strength, long throwing range, command of his area, and accurate control and distribution of the ball.Regarded by pundits as the best goalkeeper in the world (he won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award for four consecutive years between 2013 and 2016), and as one of the best and most complete goalkeepers of all-time, Neuer won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany as well as the Golden Glove award for being the best goalkeeper in the tournament, and is considered by some in the sport to be the best goalkeeper in football since Lev Yashin.In 2014, Neuer finished third in the voting, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. The same year, he was ranked the third-best player in the world by The Guardian.
- Profession: Footballer
- 24Son Heung-min (born 8 July 1992) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and captains the South Korea national team.Son finished his development at Hamburger SV, where he made his debut in the German Bundesliga in 2010. In 2013, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record €10 million, and played for the club in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League. Two years later, he signed for Tottenham for £22 million, becoming the most expensive Asian player in history. While at Tottenham, he became the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history.A full international since 2010, Son has represented South Korea at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups and is South Korea's joint highest scorer at the World Cup alongside Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan with three goals. He has also represented South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games, where the team won gold, as well as the 2011, 2015, and 2019 editions of the AFC Asian Cup, finishing runners-up in 2015.
- Profession: Soccer Player
- 25
Lamar Jackson
Pompano Beach, FloridaLamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville and was selected 32nd overall by the Ravens in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. At Louisville, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award and was a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2016. On January 5, 2018, Jackson officially announced that he would be entering the 2018 NFL Draft. Jackson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 32nd overall pick in the draft, who traded up for the selection with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the fifth quarterback selected that year.- Profession: Football Player
- 26Connor McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered to be the best player in the world by many colleagues and members of the news media, he was called the "most highly evolved hockey player of all-time" by The Sports Network in December 2017. Having been selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, McDavid has won the Art Ross Trophy twice as the leading scorer in the league, the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the player judged most valuable to his team, in 2017, and the Ted Lindsay Award twice as the best player voted by other NHL players.
- 27Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wyoming. Despite receiving few offers out of high school and having to play one year at a junior college, Allen was eventually recruited to Wyoming, where he led the Cowboys to a Mountain West Conference division title and two bowl games. He was drafted by the Bills in the first round (7th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted quarterback in franchise history.
- Profession: Football Player
- 28Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is a eight-time MLB All-Star, received the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2014 and 2016 (finishing second in the 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018 votes), and is a six-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. He is nicknamed "the Millville Meteor."The Angels selected Trout in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. He made a brief major league appearance in 2011 before becoming a regular player for the Angels the subsequent season, and won the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Award unanimously. Trout's athleticism on the field has received praise from both the mainstream media and sabermetricians. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding young players in the history of baseball, as well as one of the best current players in all of MLB.
- 29Born on June 17, 1980, in Lynwood, California, Venus Williams emerged from a humble beginning to become one of the most influential and renowned figures in professional tennis. With her distinctive blend of power and agility, Williams and her sister Serena revolutionized the landscape of women's tennis, capitalizing on their athletic prowess to dictate the tempo of the game. Williams's prodigious talent was evident from her early years. Coached by her father Richard Williams, she turned professional at the age of 14 and soon became a force to be reckoned with. She made history in 2000, when she won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, becoming the first African-American woman to achieve this feat since Althea Gibson in 1958. Her success didn't stop there; over the years, Williams has accumulated seven Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals, and reached the World No. 1 ranking in the Women's Tennis Association three times. Aside from her impressive career on the court, Williams has also made significant strides off it. She graduated with a degree in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, subsequently launching her own clothing line, EleVen. Additionally, she became a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins alongside her sister Serena, marking the first time African-American women held an ownership stake in an NFL franchise. Strong-willed, ambitious, and resilient, Venus Williams is more than just a tennis superstar; she is a trailblazer who continues to inspire and innovate in both sports and business.
- Profession: Tennis player, Entrepreneur, Writer
- 30
Aaron Judge
Linden, CaliforniaAaron James Judge (born April 26, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Judge was unanimously selected as the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017 and finished second for AL Most Valuable Player. Judge, who played college baseball for the Fresno State Bulldogs, was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft. After making his major league debut in 2016 and hitting a home run in his first career at bat, Judge went on to have a record-breaking rookie season in 2017. He was named an All-Star and won the Home Run Derby, becoming the first rookie to do so. Judge ended the season with 52 home runs, breaking Mark McGwire's MLB rookie record of 49 and the Yankees' full-season rookie record of 29 (previously held by Joe DiMaggio). He won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Month Awards for April, May, June and September, as well as the AL's Player of the Month Award. - 31Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he set several career passing records, including lowest single-season and career interception rates. He was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers.After backing up Brett Favre for the first three years of his NFL career, Rodgers became the Packers' starting quarterback in 2008. In 2010, he led them to a victory in Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning the Super Bowl MVP. He was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 2011, and was voted league MVP by the Associated Press for the 2011 and 2014 NFL seasons. Rodgers has led the NFL four times in touchdown-to-interception ratio (2011, 2012, 2014, 2018); twice in passer rating (2011, 2012), touchdown passing percentage (2011, 2012), and lowest passing interception percentage (2009, 2014); and once in touchdown passes (2016) and yards per attempt (2011). Rodgers is the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating leader and is one of two quarterbacks to have a regular season career passer rating of over 100, the other being Russell Wilson. Rodgers is fifth all-time in postseason career passer rating, has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history at 4.23, holds the league's lowest career interception percentage at 1.5 percent and the highest single-season passer rating record of 122.5. Due to the fact that Rodgers is the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating leader, and his overall high level of play, Rodgers is considered by some sportscasters and players to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
- Profession: Athlete, American football player
- 32Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who serves as captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed "The Next One", Crosby was selected first overall by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Crosby debuted in the NHL during the 2005–06 season, recording 102 points and finishing as runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year. By his second season, he led the NHL with 120 points to capture the Art Ross Trophy, becoming the youngest player and the only teenager to win a scoring title in any major North American sports league. That same season, Crosby won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player (MVP) and the Lester B. Pearson Award for most outstanding player as judged by his peers. He started the 2007–08 season with the team's captaincy and subsequently led them to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings in six games. The Penguins returned to the Finals against Detroit the following year and won in seven games; Crosby became the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup. In 2009–10, he received the Mark Messier Leadership Award and scored 51 goals, winning the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer. In early 2011, Crosby sustained a concussion that left him sidelined for the rest of the season and for most of the 2011–12 campaign. In 2014, Crosby again won the Hart Memorial Trophy as well as his second Art Ross Trophy (104 points) and his third Ted Lindsay Award. Crosby led Pittsburgh to Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, becoming the third player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in consecutive years. In 2017, he also captured his second Richard Trophy and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history. Internationally, Crosby has represented Canada on numerous occasions. He won gold at the 2005 World Junior Championships, and was later named to Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Playing against the United States in the gold medal game, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime. Crosby captained Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics, winning his second consecutive Olympic gold medal. A year later, he led his country to gold in the World Championship in Prague, thus becoming a member of the Triple Gold Club and the only player in the club to have captained all three winning teams. In 2016, Crosby captained Canada to gold in the World Cup of Hockey and was elected MVP by a unanimous vote.
- Profession: Ice Hockey Player, Athlete
- 33James Edward Harden Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the NBA's most prolific scorers and earned recognition as the best shooting guard in the NBA, as well as one of the top overall players in the league.[3] He played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he was named a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009. Harden was selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 2012, he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the Thunder and helped the team reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat in five games.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 34Alexandra Morgan Carrasco (born Alexandra Patricia Morgan; July 2, 1989) is an American soccer player. She is a forward for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Since 2018, she has co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe.Shortly after graduating early from the University of California, Berkeley, where she played for the California Golden Bears, Morgan was drafted number one overall in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash. There, she made her professional debut and helped the team win the league championship. Morgan, who was 22 at the time, was the youngest player on the national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team won silver. At the 2012 London Olympics, she scored the match-winning goal in the 123rd minute of the semi-final match against Canada. She finished 2012 with 28 goals and 21 assists, joining Mia Hamm as the only American woman to score 20 goals and collect 20 assists in the same calendar year and making her the sixth and youngest U.S. player to score 20 goals in a single season. She was subsequently named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and was a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist. Morgan also helped the United States win their titles at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, where she was named to the Dream Team for both tournaments, while she won the Silver Boot in 2019. In 2013, the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League, Morgan joined Portland Thorns FC and helped the team win the league title that year. Morgan played for the Thorns through the 2015 season, after which she was traded to first-year franchise Orlando Pride. In 2017, Morgan went on loan to French team Lyon, where she won the continental European treble, which included the UEFA Women's Champions League. Off the field, Morgan teamed with Simon & Schuster to write a middle-grade book series about four soccer players: The Kicks. The first book in the series, Saving the Team, debuted at number seven on The New York Times Best Seller list in May 2013. Additionally, a film starring Morgan in her acting debut, Alex & Me, was released in June 2018 where she plays a fictionalized version of herself. In 2015, Morgan was ranked by Time as the top-paid American women's soccer player, largely due to her numerous endorsement deals. Morgan, along with Canada's Christine Sinclair and Australia's Steph Catley, became the first women's soccer players to appear on the cover of FIFA video games in 2015. Morgan also appeared alongside Lionel Messi on covers of FIFA 16 sold in the United States.
- Profession: Footballer
- 35Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin (born September 17, 1985), often referred to as "Ovi" or "the Great Eight", is a Russian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Prior to entering the league, Ovechkin played for Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague for four seasons, from 2001 until 2005, and returned to play for them briefly during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. A highly touted prospect, Ovechkin was selected by the Capitals first overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. With the 2004–05 NHL lockout cancelling the season, Ovechkin remained in Russia until 2005, joining the Capitals for the 2005–06 season. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, scoring 52 goals and 54 assists to lead all rookies with 106 points and finishing third overall in league scoring. Ovechkin has led the NHL in goal scoring (for which the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy is awarded) an NHL record eight times. His first such title came in the 2007–08 season, when his 65 goals and 112 points also earned him the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored, the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player, and the Lester B. Pearson Award for best player as voted on by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). Ovechkin would again win the Richard Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Pearson Award in 2009, and won the Ted Lindsay Award (the renamed Pearson Award) for a third consecutive year in 2010; this also marked the fifth straight year that he was named to the First All-Star Team. After some years of decreased scoring, Ovechkin reclaimed the goal scoring title in 2013, earning the Richard Trophy and his third Hart Trophy. He would repeat as the Richard Trophy winner in 2014, 2015, and 2016, scoring at least 50 goals each season and becoming only the third player to score 50 goals in seven different seasons. Ovechkin reached 600 career NHL goals in 2018 and is considered one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history. In 2017, Ovechkin was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of all-time. After ten playoff runs with the Washington Capitals, Ovechkin won his first Stanley Cup in 2018, as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player in the 2018 playoffs. Internationally, Ovechkin has represented Russia in multiple tournaments. His first IIHF tournament was the 2002 World U18 Championship. The following year he made his debut at the World Junior Championship, helping Russia win the gold medal. He played two more years at the World Juniors, as well as once more at the World U18 Championships. Ovechkin's first senior tournament was the 2004 World Championship, and he also played in the World Cup that year. Ovechkin has also played for Russia at the Winter Olympics in 2006, 2010, and 2014. Overall, Ovechkin has represented Russia at eleven World Championships and three Olympics in his career, winning the World Championship three times.
- Profession: Hockey Player
- 36Frederick Charles Freeman (born September 12, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, Freeman played for the Atlanta Braves for 12 seasons. He made his MLB debut in 2010 and is a five-time MLB All-Star. Freeman won a Gold Glove Award in 2018, the Silver Slugger Award in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in 2020. Freeman won the 2021 World Series over the Houston Astros as a member of the Braves. After 12 seasons with the Braves, he entered free agency and then signed a six-year contract with the Dodgers.
- Profession: Baseball player
- 37Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov is an Avar-Russian mixed martial artist. He is a multiple Combat Sambo World Champion and a Judo black belt who is currently fighting in the lightweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He currently holds one of the longest undefeated streaks in MMA with 22 straight wins. He is currently the No. 2 contender in the UFC Lightweight division and the #2 Lightweight in the world according to Sherdog and numerous other publications.
- 38Bryce Aron Max Harper (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Washington Nationals from 2012 through 2018. He has been touted as a "five-tool player".Harper graduated from high school early so that he could attend the College of Southern Nevada, where he won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award. The Nationals selected Harper as the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals on April 28, 2012, at 19 years old. Harper was selected for the 2012 All-Star Game, becoming the youngest position player to perform in an All-Star Game.Harper won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and tied for the NL lead in home runs in 2015.
- Profession: Baseball player
- 39Philip Alfred Mickelson (born June 16, 1970), nicknamed Lefty, is an American professional golfer. He has won 45 events on the PGA Tour, including six major championships: three Masters titles (2004, 2006, 2010), two PGA Championships (2005, 2021), and one Open Championship (2013). With his win at the 2021 PGA Championship, Mickelson became the oldest major championship winner in history at the age of 50 years, 11 months and 7 days old.
- Profession: Golfer, Author, Athlete
- 40Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoaʻi (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and former professional gridiron football player. He is part of the Anoaʻi family and is currently signed to WWE as a member of the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. After playing college football for Georgia Tech, Anoaʻi started his professional football career with brief off-season stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) in 2007. He then played a full season for the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Edmonton Eskimos in 2008 before his release and retirement from football. He then pursued a career in professional wrestling and was signed by WWE in 2010, reporting to their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). As Roman Reigns, he made his main roster debut in November 2012 alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as The Shield. The trio teamed together until June 2014, after which Reigns entered singles competition. Reigns is a four-time world champion in WWE, having held the WWE Championship three times and the Universal Championship once. He is also a one-time United States Champion, a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Rollins), the 2015 Royal Rumble winner, and the 2014 Superstar of the Year. He tied the WWE record for most eliminations in a Survivor Series elimination match with four in the 2013 event and set the then-record for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble match with 12 in the 2014 event. Upon winning the Intercontinental Championship, he became the twenty-eighth Triple Crown Champion and the seventeenth Grand Slam Champion. Since 2014, WWE has attempted to establish Reigns as their next "face of the company", which has been met with audience disapproval. Reigns has headlined numerous WWE pay-per-view events, including four straight WrestleManias (31, 32, 33 and 34).
- Profession: Wrestler, Footballer
- 41Russell Westbrook III (born November 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a nine-time NBA All-Star and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2016–17 season. He is also an eight-time All-NBA Team member, led the league in scoring in 2014–15 and 2016–17, and won back-to-back NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player awards in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, the year he won the league MVP award, Westbrook became one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Oscar Robertson in 1962. He also set a record for the most triple-doubles in a season, with 42. He went on to average a triple-double the following two seasons also, as well as lead the league in assists and become the first player to lead the league in points and assists in multiple seasons. He ranks second all-time in career triple-doubles in NBA history.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 42
Mikaela Shiffrin
Vail, ColoradoMikaela Pauline Shiffrin is an American World Cup alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team, specializing in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom. She is the reigning Olympic, World Cup, and world champion in slalom. Shiffrin is the youngest slalom champion in Olympic alpine skiing history, at 18 years and 345 days.- Profession: Alpine skier, Athlete
- 43Christopher Emmanuel Paul, popularly known as Chris Paul, is a distinguished figure in the world of professional basketball. Born on May 6, 1985, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he exhibited an exceptional talent for the sport from an early age. Paul's basketball journey began at West Forsyth High School and continued at Wake Forest University, where his performance earned him national recognition. In 2005, he embarked on his professional career by joining the New Orleans Hornets after being selected fourth overall in the NBA Draft. Throughout his career, Paul has proven himself as an unrivaled point guard, earning multiple accolades that testify to his skill and dedication. He has been named an NBA All-Star eleven times and has twice been recognized as the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP). Paul also led the NBA in assists four times and in steals six times, a testament to both his offensive prowess and defensive agility. Moreover, his contribution extends beyond the NBA; he represented the United States in the Olympics, bringing home two gold medals in 2008 and 2012. Off the court, Paul is equally impressive. He served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021, demonstrating his leadership and commitment to advocating for his fellow players' rights. His philanthropic endeavors, particularly through the Chris Paul Family Foundation, have made significant impacts in various communities. The foundation's initiatives focus on promoting education, health, sports, and community building. Undeniably, Chris Paul's legacy transcends the realm of basketball, making him an influential figure both on and off the court.
- Profession: Basketball player, Athlete
- 44Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She is the first tennis player from Japan to win a Grand Slam singles tournament, defeating Serena Williams in the final of the 2018 US Open. Osaka has reached a career-high world ranking of No. 7. She is of mixed Haitian and Japanese heritage, and holds dual citizenship in Japan and the United States. As Ōsaka has dual Japanese and American citizenship, her father made the decision to register her with the Japan Tennis Association when she began her career. She turned pro in September 2013. She made her main-draw WTA tour debut at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic, after defeating Alla Kudryavtseva and Petra Martić in qualifying.
- Profession: Tennis player
- 45Kyrie Andrew Irving (born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named NBA Rookie of the Year after being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. A six-time NBA All-Star, Irving was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2015. He won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. Irving played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils before joining the Cavaliers in 2011. He was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2014. In the 2016 NBA Finals, he made a three-point field goal with 53 seconds remaining in a tied Game 7 to help lead the Cavaliers to a championship over the Golden State Warriors. After losing a rematch against the Warriors in the 2017 Finals, Irving requested a trade and was traded to the Boston Celtics. After two years with the Celtics, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent in 2019. He has also played for the United States national team, with which he won gold at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2018, he starred in the film Uncle Drew.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 46William Clyde "Chase" Elliott II (born November 28, 1995) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. He won the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship, becoming the first rookie to win a national series championship in NASCAR and the youngest champion in that series. Elliott began racing in the Cup Series on a full-time basis in 2016, during which he was named the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year. In 2020, he won the Cup Series championship, the first for Hendrick Motorsports since 2016. He has 13 career wins in the Cup Series, including seven on road courses. He is the son of 1988 Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott; the Elliotts are the third father-son NASCAR champions in history, along with Lee and Richard Petty and Ned and Dale Jarrett.
- Profession: NASCAR Driver
- 47Andrés Iniesta Luján (born 11 May 1984) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Japanese club Vissel Kobe. He spent most of his career at Barcelona, where he served as the captain for three seasons. Iniesta came through La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy, after an early migration from his birthplace, and impressed from an early age. He made his first-team debut aged 18 in 2002. He began playing regularly during the 2004–05 season and remained in the team until 2018. Iniesta was an integral part of the Barcelona sides that won two historic trebles in 2009 and 2015, and his 35 trophies, which includes nine La Ligas and four UEFA Champions League titles, make him the most decorated Spanish footballer of all time.Iniesta played for Spain at the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 levels before making his international debut in 2006. He helped Spain win Euro 2008, playing every game and being selected in the Team of the Tournament. Iniesta was also a key member of the victorious Spanish team at the 2010 World Cup; he scored the winning goal in the final against the Netherlands, for which he was named the Man of the Match, and was selected to the tournament's All-Star Team. At Euro 2012, Iniesta led Spain to their second consecutive continental crown, again being chosen as the Man of the Match of the final against Italy, and was named the Player of the Tournament. Iniesta is widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Since 2009, he has been named in the FIFA World XI nine times and was chosen in the UEFA Team of the Year on six occasions. Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in 2012 and was named the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker in 2012 and 2013. He was runner-up to Lionel Messi for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or and achieved third place in 2012.
- Profession: Soccer Player
- 48
Jacob deGrom
DeLeon Springs, FloridaJacob Anthony deGrom (born June 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to playing professionally, deGrom attended Stetson University and played college baseball for the Stetson Hatters. DeGrom began playing baseball as a shortstop and was converted into a pitcher during his junior year at Stetson. The Mets selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 15, 2014. That year, deGrom was named the National League's (NL) Rookie of the Month twice, and the NL Rookie of the Year. In 2015, 2018, and 2019 deGrom was selected as an MLB All-Star. In 2018, deGrom was the NL ERA leader and won the Cy Young Award. In 2019, he led the NL in strikeouts and won the Cy Young Award for the second year in a row.- Profession: Baseball player
- 49Nicholas John Bosa (born October 23, 1997) is an American football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State and was selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft. Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by having nine sacks in the regular season and helping his team reach Super Bowl LIV. He is the son of John Bosa and the younger brother of Joey, both of whom also played in the NFL.
- Profession: Football Player
- 50Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. (born November 5, 1992), commonly known by his initials OBJ, is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Beckham played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2013. He was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.
- Profession: Football Player
- 51Kawhi Anthony Leonard (born June 29, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. Leonard opted to forgo his final two seasons at San Diego State to enter the 2011 NBA draft; accordingly, he was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night. With the Spurs, Leonard won an NBA championship in 2014, when he was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). After seven seasons with the Spurs, Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2018. In 2019, he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in franchise history and won his second Finals MVP award. Leonard is a three-time All-Star and has two All-NBA first-team selections. Nicknamed the "Claw," or "Klaw," for his ball-hawking skills, he has earned five All-Defensive team selections and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2015 and 2016.
- Profession: Basketball player
- 52Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Wilson initially played college football and baseball at NC State from 2008 to 2010 before transferring to Wisconsin in 2011, in which he set the single-season FBS record for passing efficiency (191.8) and led them to a Big Ten title and the 2012 Rose Bowl. He was selected by the Seahawks in the third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. Wilson has been named to nine Pro Bowls and has started in two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLVIII over the Denver Broncos. He holds the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback through nine seasons (98) and is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history with a career passer rating over 100.
- Profession: Football Player
- 53Fernando Alonso Díaz (born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in 2005 and 2006 with Renault, having also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and Minardi. With Toyota, Alonso has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, in 2018 and 2019, and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2018–19, whilst winning the 24 Hours of Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2019. At the time of his sabbatical, Alonso had won 32 Grands Prix, 22 pole positions, and 1,899 points from 311 starts. He is currently the only Spanish Formula One driver to have won either a Grand Prix or the World Championship. Alonso won the 2001 Race of Champions Nations Cup with the rally driver Jesús Puras and the motorcyclist Rubén Xaus for Team Spain and thrice entered the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
- Profession: Formula One Driver
- 54Rory McIlroy made his mark in the world of entertainment when he appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" (NBC, 2013-). In 2011, he won the U.S. Open. In 2012, he won the PGA Championship. In 2014, he won the Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
- Profession: Golfer
- 55Jordan Alexander Spieth (born July 27, 1993) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. He is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion. Spieth's first major win came in the 2015 Masters Tournament, when he shot a 270 (−18) and pocketed $1.8 million. He tied the 72-hole record set by Tiger Woods in 1997 and became the second youngest golfer (behind Woods) to win the Masters. He then won the 2015 U.S. Open with a score of 5-under-par. He was the youngest U.S. Open champion since amateur Bobby Jones in 1923. He followed up with a win in the 2015 Tour Championship, which clinched the 2015 FedEx Cup. Two years later, Spieth won his third major at the 2017 Open Championship, by three shots at 12 under par.
- Profession: Golfer
- 56
Mookie Betts
Nashville, TennesseeMarkus Lynn "Mookie" Betts (born October 7, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox. In 2018 he became the first player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season. Betts was drafted by the Red Sox in 2011, and made his MLB debut in the 2014 season, splitting time between second base and the outfield. He became the Red Sox center fielder in 2014, before moving to right field in 2016. As a relatively short natural second baseman with a high contact rate and a high level of production when pulling the ball, Betts has been compared to fellow Red Sox player Dustin Pedroia. Betts is also a professional tenpin bowler for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). He bowled a perfect game in the World Series of Bowling.[6]- Profession: Baseball player
- 57Cody Garrett Runnels Rhodes (born Cody Garrett Runnels; June 30, 1985) is an American professional wrestler, promoter, businessman and actor, better known by the ring name Cody Rhodes or simply Cody. He is an executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling, where he also serves as an in-ring talent. Rhodes is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and the half-brother of former WWE wrestler Goldust. After an amateur wrestling career that resulted in him becoming a two-time Georgia state champion, he followed his father and older brother's footsteps into the professional ranks and joined WWE in 2006, initially being assigned to the company's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). After becoming a Triple Crown Champion in OVW, he was promoted to WWE's main roster in 2007 and remained there for 9 years, performing under his real name and later as Stardust. During his time with WWE, Rhodes became a two-time Intercontinental Champion and was a prolific tag team wrestler, winning six tag team championships (three World Tag Team Championships and three WWE Tag Team Championships) with four separate tag team partners. Rhodes left WWE after requesting his release in May 2016. Following his departure from WWE, Rhodes began wrestling on the independent circuit, also making several appearances in Total Nonstop Action (TNA). In the time frame spanning from early 2016 to early 2017, he competed at WWE's WrestleMania, Ring of Honor (ROH)'s Final Battle and the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) Wrestle Kingdom events as well as appearing for TNA at Bound for Glory. In September 2017, Rhodes wrestled in ROH, where he became a one-time ROH World Champion, one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion (due to ROH's partnership with the National Wrestling Alliance), one-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion and a one-time ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (with The Young Bucks)—at one point holding the NWA World, IWGP U.S., and ROH Six-Man titles simultaneously.
- Profession: Wrestler, Actor
- 58James Richard Garoppolo (born November 2, 1991) is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Illinois and was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, with whom he won two Super Bowls as the backup to Tom Brady. As a senior in 2013, Garoppolo broke Tony Romo's school records for career passing touchdowns, career passing yards, and passing touchdowns in a season.That season, he also won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
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