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Famous Athletes

The best-known sportspeople in our archive, ranked by historical popularity.

1,514 athletes in our database, ranked by historical popularity. Page 4 of 31.

Most famous athlete

Muhammad Ali

Highest historical popularity score (HPI 90.7)

Most common birth month

August

146 of 1,514 were born in August

Living vs deceased

1,357 / 157

90% are still living

Most common nationality

Japanese

233 people, 15% of the list

Editor-written profiles

81

5% have a full original profile so far

The ranked list (from #151)

  1. 151Paul BreitnerPaul BreitnerAttacking full-back who scored in World Cup finals in both 1974 and 1982, winning the first with West Germany.🇩🇪German · Born September 5, 1951View profile
  2. 152Bobby MooreBobby MooreEngland captain who lifted the World Cup trophy at Wembley in 1966.🇬🇧British · Born April 12, 1941 · Died February 24, 1993View profile
  3. 153Gheorghe HagiGheorghe HagiRomanian playmaker nicknamed the Maradona of the Carpathians, who led his country to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals.🇷🇴Romanian · Born February 5, 1965View profile
  4. 154Jim ClarkJim ClarkScottish driver who won two Formula One world championships with Lotus, in 1963 and 1965.🇬🇧British · Born March 4, 1936 · Died April 7, 1968View profile
  5. 155Stanley MatthewsStanley MatthewsWinger who inspired Blackpool's 1953 FA Cup final comeback and became the first European Footballer of the Year.🇬🇧British · Born February 1, 1915 · Died February 23, 2000View profile
  6. 156Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioNew York Yankees centre fielder who set the major league record with a 56-game hitting streak in 1941.🇺🇸American · Born November 25, 1914 · Died March 8, 1999View profile
  7. 157RaúlRaúlReal Madrid forward who won three European Cups and long held the club's record as top scorer.🇪🇸Spanish · Born June 27, 1977View profile
  8. 158Martina NavratilovaMartina NavratilovaWinner of nine Wimbledon singles titles, she dominated women's tennis through the late 1970s and 1980s.Czech-American · Born October 18, 1956View profile
  9. 159Yochanan VollachYochanan VollachPlayed for Israel at the 1970 World Cup, the country's only appearance at the finals so far.🇮🇱Israeli · Born May 14, 1945View profile
  10. 160Xavi HernándezXavi HernándezMidfield orchestrator of Barcelona and Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships.🇪🇸Spanish · Born January 25, 1980View profile
  11. 161Xabi AlonsoXabi AlonsoManaged Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, going unbeaten through the 2023-24 league season.🇪🇸Spanish · Born November 25, 1981View profile
  12. 162Paul MorphyPaul MorphyChess prodigy regarded as the unofficial world champion after beating Adolf Anderssen in Paris in 1858.🇺🇸American · Born June 22, 1837 · Died July 10, 1884View profile
  13. 163Junko TabeiJunko TabeiJapanese mountaineer who led an all-women expedition to Everest and later climbed the Seven Summits.🇯🇵Japanese · Born September 22, 1939 · Died October 20, 2016View profile
  14. 164Hristo StoichkovHristo StoichkovForward who shared the 1994 World Cup Golden Boot and led Bulgaria to the semi-finals.🇧🇬Bulgarian · Born February 8, 1966View profile
  15. 165Adolf AnderssenAdolf AnderssenChess master who won the 1851 London tournament and played the celebrated Immortal Game that same year.Prussian · Born July 6, 1818 · Died March 13, 1879View profile
  16. 166Lilian ThuramLilian ThuramDefender who won the 1998 World Cup with France and once held their record for appearances.🇫🇷French · Born January 1, 1972View profile
  17. 167Oleh BlokhinOleh BlokhinDynamo Kyiv forward who won the 1975 Ballon d'Or and later managed the Ukraine national team.Ukraine · Born November 5, 1952View profile
  18. 168Jack BrabhamJack BrabhamAustralian who won three Formula One titles, one in a car bearing his own name.🇦🇺Australian · Born April 2, 1926 · Died May 19, 2014View profile
  19. 169GilmarGilmarGoalkeeper who kept goal for Brazil in their 1958 and 1962 World Cup triumphs, and starred for Santos.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born August 22, 1930 · Died August 25, 2013View profile
  20. 170Luis SuárezLuis SuárezStriker who is Uruguay's record goalscorer and won the 2015 Champions League with Barcelona.🇺🇾Uruguayan · Born January 24, 1987View profile
  21. 171Eric CantonaEric CantonaForward who led Manchester United to four Premier League titles in the 1990s, famous for his upturned collar.🇫🇷French · Born May 24, 1966View profile
  22. 172Ilie NăstaseIlie NăstaseTennis player who won the 1972 US Open and the 1973 French Open, and topped the first official world rankings.🇷🇴Romanian · Born July 19, 1946View profile
  23. 173Joe LouisJoe LouisHeavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 who made twenty-five successful title defences, a record at the time.🇺🇸American · Born May 13, 1914 · Died April 12, 1981View profile
  24. 174Fatih TerimFatih TerimManager who won the 2000 UEFA Cup with Galatasaray and led Turkey to the Euro 2008 semi-finals.🇹🇷Turkish · Born September 4, 1953View profile
  25. 175Fabio CannavaroFabio CannavaroDefender who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won the Ballon d'Or that year.🇮🇹Italian · Born September 13, 1973View profile
  26. 176Roberto ManciniRoberto ManciniManager who led Italy to victory at Euro 2020 and Manchester City to the 2011–12 Premier League title.🇮🇹Italian · Born November 27, 1964View profile
  27. 177Olga KorbutOlga KorbutGymnast whose daring routines at the 1972 Munich Olympics brought three gold medals and wide popularity to the sport.Belarusian · Born May 16, 1955View profile
  28. 178NeymarNeymarForward whose 2017 move to Paris Saint-Germain set a world-record transfer fee.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born February 5, 1992View profile
  29. 179Luka ModrićLuka ModrićMidfielder who won the 2018 Ballon d'Or after captaining Croatia to the World Cup final.🇭🇷Croatian · Born September 9, 1985View profile
  30. 180Andriy ShevchenkoAndriy ShevchenkoStriker who won the 2004 Ballon d'Or while scoring prolifically for AC Milan.Ukraine · Born September 29, 1976View profile
  31. 181Paul KeresPaul KeresChess grandmaster who won the 1959 Candidates Tournament yet never got to play a world championship match.Estonian · Born January 7, 1916 · Died June 5, 1975View profile
  32. 182Billie Jean KingBillie Jean KingTennis champion who beat Bobby Riggs in the 1973 Battle of the Sexes and campaigned for equal prize money.🇺🇸American · Born November 22, 1943View profile
  33. 183Margaret CourtMargaret CourtTennis champion whose 24 women's singles Grand Slam titles remain the most won by any woman in the sport.🇦🇺Australian · Born July 16, 1942View profile
  34. 184Rudi VöllerRudi VöllerStriker who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and later managed Germany to the 2002 final.🇩🇪German · Born April 13, 1960View profile
  35. 185Michael LaudrupMichael LaudrupDanish playmaker who won La Liga with both Barcelona and Real Madrid.🇩🇰Danish · Born June 15, 1964View profile
  36. 186Dick AdvocaatDick AdvocaatManager who led Zenit St Petersburg to the 2008 UEFA Cup and also coached the Netherlands and Rangers.🇳🇱Dutch · Born September 27, 1947View profile
  37. 187CafuCafuRight-back who captained Brazil to victory at the 2002 World Cup and played in three finals.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born June 7, 1970View profile
  38. 188Gordon BanksGordon BanksGoalkeeper in England's 1966 World Cup-winning side, remembered for his astonishing save from Pelé in 1970.🇬🇧British · Born December 30, 1937 · Died February 12, 2019View profile
  39. 189BebetoBebetoBrazilian forward who won the 1994 World Cup and celebrated a goal by rocking an imaginary baby.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born February 16, 1964View profile
  40. 190Steffi GrafSteffi GrafWon all four Grand Slam singles titles plus Olympic gold in 1988, finishing with 22 major titles.🇩🇪German · Born June 14, 1969View profile
  41. 191KakáKakáAttacking midfielder who won the 2007 Ballon d'Or with AC Milan and the 2002 World Cup with Brazil.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born April 22, 1982View profile
  42. 192Peter SchmeichelPeter SchmeichelGoalkeeper who won the 1999 Champions League with Manchester United and Euro 1992 with Denmark.🇩🇰Danish · Born November 18, 1963View profile
  43. 193Kim Yong-sikKim Yong-sikPlayer and later manager who is regarded as a founding figure of South Korean football.🇰🇷South Korean · Born July 25, 1910 · Died March 8, 1985View profile
  44. 194Andre AgassiAndre AgassiTennis player who completed a career Grand Slam and won Olympic singles gold in Atlanta in 1996.🇺🇸American · Born April 29, 1970View profile
  45. 195Babe RuthBabe RuthSlugger who hit 714 career home runs and struck a record 60 in a season for the 1927 Yankees.🇺🇸American · Born February 6, 1895 · Died August 16, 1948View profile
  46. 196Mohamed SalahMohamed SalahLiverpool forward who scored 32 league goals in 2017-18, a Premier League record for a 38-game season.🇪🇬Egyptian · Born June 15, 1992View profile
  47. 197Hulk HoganHulk HoganWrestler who became the face of the WWF in the 1980s, famously bodyslamming André the Giant at WrestleMania III.🇺🇸American · Born August 11, 1953 · Died July 24, 2025View profile
  48. 198Nona GaprindashviliNona GaprindashviliAggressive Georgian chess player who held the women's world title for sixteen years and became the first female grandmaster.Georgian · Born May 3, 1941View profile
  49. 199
    AE
    Andrés EscobarColombian defender remembered for the own goal against the United States at the 1994 World Cup.🇨🇴Colombian · Born March 13, 1967 · Died July 2, 1994View profile
  50. 200Bob BeamonBob BeamonJumped 8.90 metres at the 1968 Olympics, beating the long jump world record by a startling margin.🇺🇸American · Born August 29, 1946View profile

How we rank and select

  • Ranking: people are ordered by their Historical Popularity Index (HPI) from Pantheon. HPI combines how many Wikipedia language editions have an article about a person, how many page views those articles get, how evenly the views are spread across languages and how long ago the person lived. People Pantheon does not yet cover are listed after them, ordered by our own popularity score (the number of Wikipedia language editions with an article about them).
  • Membership: each person appears in one occupation list only, based on their primary occupation as classified by Pantheon (for example, a queen who wrote poetry is listed as royalty, not as a writer). Kings, queens, emperors, sultans and royal consorts are not listed as politicians or writers: anyone who held a monarch's office on Wikidata, and never served as a president or head of government, counts as royalty. For the few people Pantheon does not cover, we use the primary field recorded in our database.
  • One-line summaries: each summary is an original line written for this site with AI assistance under our editorial rules, then checked against the Wikipedia introduction so no wording is copied.
  • Statistics: every figure on this page is calculated live from our database each time the page loads, so it changes as we add people.

Further reading

Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026

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