WWho in History?

Home / Browse topics / Athletes & Sports Icons

History by topic

Athletes & Sports Icons historical figures

Explore historical figures known as Athletes & Sports Icons. Read concise biographies, learn key facts, and play a quiz focused on this collection.

Play a Athletes & Sports Icons quiz

People connected to Athletes & Sports Icons

A growing, people-first guide to world history.

61 figures

Photograph of the footballer Pelé

Pelé

Brazil · 1940–2022

Footballer

Photograph of Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona

Argentina · 1960–2020

Footballer & manager

Portrait of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

United States · 1919–1972

Baseball player

Photograph of Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth

United States · 1895–1948

Baseball player

Photograph of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

United States · 1942–2016

Boxer & activist

Photograph of Jesse Owens from 1936

Jesse Owens

United States · 1913–1980

Track and field athlete

Photograph of Wilma Rudolph from 1960

Wilma Rudolph

United States · 1940–1994

Track and field athlete

Photograph of Usain Bolt smiling

Usain Bolt

Jamaica · born 1986

Sprinter

Portrait of Serena Williams at the Australian Open

Serena Williams

United States · born 1981

Tennis player

Photograph of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

United States · born 1963

Basketball player

Photograph of Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky

Canada · born 1961

Ice hockey player

Photograph of golfer Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods

United States · born 1975

Golfer

Photograph of swimmer Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps

United States · born 1985

Swimmer

Photograph of footballer Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Argentina · born 1987

Footballer

Photograph of tennis player Roger Federer

Roger Federer

Switzerland · born 1981

Tennis player

Photograph of gymnast Simone Biles

Simone Biles

United States · born 1997

Gymnast

Photograph of Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

India · born 1973

Cricketer

Photograph of Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna

Brazil · 1960–1994

Racing driver

Photograph of Nadia Comăneci

Nadia Comăneci

Romania · born 1961

Gymnast

Photograph of Emil Zátopek

Emil Zátopek

Czech Republic · 1922–2000

Long-distance runner

Photograph of Don Bradman

Don Bradman

Australia · 1908–2001

Cricketer

Photograph of Abebe Bikila

Abebe Bikila

Ethiopia · 1932–1973

Marathon runner

Photograph of Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

United States · 1911–1956

Multi-sport athlete

Photograph of Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe

United States · 1887–1953

Multi-sport athlete

Photograph of Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain

United States · 1936–1999

Basketball player

Photograph of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

United States · born 1947

Basketball player

Photograph of George Best

George Best

United Kingdom · 1946–2005

Footballer

Photograph of Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff

Netherlands · 1947–2016

Footballer and manager

Photograph of Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka

Japan · born 1997

Tennis player

Photograph of Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal · born 1985

Footballer

Photograph of Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane

France · born 1972

Footballer and manager

Photograph of Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho

Brazil · born 1980

Footballer

Photograph of David Beckham

David Beckham

United Kingdom · born 1975

Footballer

Portrait of footballer Ferenc Puskás

Ferenc Puskás

Hungary · 1927–2006

Footballer

Portrait of footballer Alfredo Di Stéfano

Alfredo Di Stéfano

Argentina · 1926–2014

Footballer

Photograph of goalkeeper Lev Yashin

Lev Yashin

Soviet Union · 1929–1990

Footballer (goalkeeper)

Photograph of footballer Garrincha at the 1962 World Cup

Garrincha

Brazil · 1933–1983

Footballer

Photograph of footballer Eusébio

Eusébio

Portugal · 1942–2014

Footballer

Photograph of footballer Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton

United Kingdom · 1937–2023

Footballer

Photograph of Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer

Germany · 1945–2024

Footballer & manager

Photograph of footballer Michel Platini

Michel Platini

France · 1955–

Footballer

Photograph of George Weah

George Weah

Liberia · 1966–

Footballer & politician

Photograph of footballer Marta

Marta

Brazil · 1986–

Footballer

Photograph of basketball player Bill Russell

Bill Russell

United States · 1934–2022

Basketball Player

Photograph of basketball player Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson

United States · 1959–

Basketball Player

Photograph of basketball player Larry Bird

Larry Bird

United States · 1956–

Basketball Player

Photograph of basketball player LeBron James

LeBron James

United States · 1984–

Basketball Player

Photograph of basketball player Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

United States · 1978–2020

Basketball Player

Photograph of basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon

United States · 1963–

Basketball Player

Photograph of tennis player Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King

United States · 1943–

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova

United States · 1956–

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Rod Laver

Rod Laver

Australia · 1938–

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe

United States · 1943–1993

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf

Germany · 1969–

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal

Spain · 1986–

Tennis Player

Photograph of tennis player Björn Borg

Björn Borg

Sweden · 1956–

Tennis Player

Photograph of athlete Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis

United States · 1961–

Track and Field Athlete

Photograph of sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner

Florence Griffith-Joyner

United States · 1959–1998

Track and Field Athlete

Photograph of runner Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebrselassie

Ethiopia · 1973–

Long-Distance Runner

Photograph of runner Paavo Nurmi

Paavo Nurmi

Finland · 1897–1973

Long-Distance Runner

Photograph of pole vaulter Sergey Bubka

Sergey Bubka

Ukraine · 1963–

Pole Vaulter