Top 10 male athletes of all-time

These players are legends in their game.

Sports have been a major part of human civilization. We have read about the Olympic Games in ancient Greece. In modern times also athleticism is an important part of society. We have seen many world-class athletes performing exceptionally in different sports. Among these athletes, many are considered the greatest players of the generation in the sport.

In each and every sport we have seen players who have done exceptionally well and have created many records. However, today we are going to take a look at the top 10 greatest male athletes of all time.

Paavo Nurmi

Paavo Nurmi is a former Finnish middle-distance and long-distance runner. He was an exceptional runner as he set 22 official world records at distances between 1500 to 20000 meters. Also, Nurmi has won a total of 9 gold medals and 3 silver medals in the Olympics. Nurmi in his career of 14 years has never been beaten in cross-country events and 10000 meters.

In the 1920s when Nurmi was at his peak he was named the 'Flying Finn' or ' Phantom Finn'. In 2012 Paavo Nurmi was among the first athletes to be inducted into the IAAF Hall Of Fame. Until 1960 Nurmi was the athlete with the most Olympic medals. It is evident why Paavo Nurmi is considered the all-time greatest middle-distance and long-distance runner of all time.

Jan Zelezny

Jan Zelezny is one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time. Zelezny is a former Czech athlete who competed in the javelin throw. He is a world champion as well as an Olympic gold medalist. The world record for the javelin throw of 98.48 meters was set by him in 1996.

Zelezny has broken the world record a total of 4 times in his career. He started his career in 1986 and retired in 2005. He is widely considered the greatest javelin thrower of all time. Zelezny has won 3 back to back gold medals in the Olympics as well as he has won the World Championship three times.

LeBron James

LeBron James is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He has previously played for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

James started his career in 2003 at Cleveland Cavaliers after that he moved to Miami Heat in 2010. In 2014 he moved back to Cleveland Cavaliers but in 2018 he joined Los Angeles Lakers and is currently playing there. He has been NBA Champion 4 times twice with Miami Heat and once each with Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. He has also been the NBA finals MVP and NBA MVP 4 times as well.

LeBron recently became the all-time leading scorer in the NBA. Moreover, he has won 2 Olympic gold medals for America as well. It's clearly visible why LeBron is considered the greatest basketball player of all time.

Roger Federer

Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player. He is one of the most successful and popular tennis players of all time as well. Above all, throughout his career, he has ended 5 times as The 1 tennis at the end of a year.

Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slams in his career and has the record of winning Wimbledon 8 times. He is one of the greatest Swiss players and throughout his career, he has been very consistent. Although, in recent years he has been facing injury problems.

Federer is without any doubt one of the most famous tennis players and has been excellent throughout his career. He certainly is one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is considered the greatest boxer of all time. He is considered to be one of the most influential sportspersons in the world. Ali was nicknamed, "The Greatest".

Nevertheless, throughout his playing days, Muhammad Ali has been part of many highly popular fights with the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and others. Ali has always been a great athlete who was courageous and outspoken about his beliefs. Those qualities have always been with him before he even became famous.

Mohammad Ali is the greatest boxer of all time. His legacy is in everyone's heart and mind and will be the same hundreds of years after as well.

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is a former American swimmer. He is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time and has 28 Olympics medals in total. Phelps is the record holder for the most Olympic gold medals which is 23. Moreover, he individually has 13 gold medals to his name and a total of 16 individual Olympic medals.

The achievements of Michael Phelps in themselves make it clear why he is considered the greatest swimmer of all time. So, he certainly is one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt is the world's fastest human. The retired Jamaican sprinter is considered the greatest sprinter of all time. Bolt is still now the world record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 relay races.

Throughout his career, he has won a total of 8 Olympic gold medals. In these, he has 3 back-to-back gold in both 100 meters and 200 meters and two gold in the 400 x 100 relay. Bolt in 100 meters in 2009 broke his own record to set a new world record with a time of 9.58 seconds. In the 200 meters also he broke his own world record in 2009 and set a new world record of 19.19 seconds.

In 2012 Bolt set a new world record in the 4x100 relay as well with a time of 36.84. Usain Bolt clearly deserves a place on the list of 10-ten athletes of all time.

Major Dhyan Chand

Major Dhyan Chand was a former Indian field hockey player and Olympic gold medalist. Also, he is considered to be the greatest field hockey player of all time. He was an exceptional player with great ball control and was an exceptional goal scorer. In 1926 Major Dhyan Chand started representing India internationally and played until 1949. He was popularly known as ' The Wizard' or ' The Magician'.

The Wizard has scored more than 1000 goals both internationally and domestically, of these 570 were international goals according to his autobiography. He received India's third-highest civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 1956. He won three back-to-back Olympics gold medals from 1928 to 1936.

Major Dhyan Chand's birthday on 29 August is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. Moreover, the highest sporting honour in the country Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award is also named after him.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is a former Indian cricketer who has represented his country for 24 years. Tendulkar is one of the most followed cricketers of all time and many consider him the "God of Cricket." 

The little master made his test debut for India at the age of 16 in November 1989. He is the leading run-scorer in both tests and ODIs with 15921 and 18426 respectively. 

Tendulkar is considered by many the "Greatest Cricket of All Time" because of all that he has achieved in his career. He has been an inspiration and motivation for millions of people not only in India but all over the world. In 2013 after his retirement from all forms of cricket he was awarded India's highest civilian award " Bharat Ratna." Tendulkar was the first sportsperson and the youngest person who was awarded this medal. Also, on the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, the little master was the only batsman along with Sir Vivian Richards to be named in the all-time test world 11. Tendulkar was included in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2019.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine football player who currently presents Paris Saint Germain and Argentina. Messi is one 9f the most decorated football players of all and he has achieved almost everything. Messi started his professional career at FC Barcelona and played there till 2021 after which he left and joined Paris Saint Germain. Recently Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina after 36 years.

Messi has been one of the best players in the world for 15 years. During this time he has won many trophies with the team as well as won individual trophies as well. He is the player with the most Ballon d'Or with 7 to his name.

Moreover, he is still performing exceptionally and helping his team to win matches. He has more than 1000 goal contributions. It is no doubt that Messi is considered the Greatest Footballer of All Time or the Greatest of All Time (GOAT).