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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 9 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 #401)

  1. 401Jacques VilleneuveJacques VilleneuveCanadian driver who won the Indianapolis 500 and the 1997 Formula One title.🇨🇦Canadian · Born April 9, 1971View profile
  2. 402Jürgen GrabowskiJürgen GrabowskiEintracht Frankfurt winger who won the 1974 World Cup with West Germany and the 1980 UEFA Cup.🇩🇪German · Born July 7, 1944 · Died March 10, 2022View profile
  3. 403Zvonimir BobanZvonimir BobanMidfielder who won the Champions League with AC Milan and reached the 1998 World Cup semi-finals with Croatia.🇭🇷Croatian · Born October 8, 1968View profile
  4. 404RobinhoRobinhoForward who won La Liga with Real Madrid and Serie A with AC Milan.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born January 25, 1984View profile
  5. 405Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongCyclist who won seven Tour de France titles, all later stripped after a doping investigation.🇺🇸American · Born September 18, 1971View profile
  6. 406Marco TardelliMarco TardelliMidfielder who scored in the 1982 World Cup final and celebrated with his famous scream.🇮🇹Italian · Born September 24, 1954View profile
  7. 407Jürgen KohlerJürgen KohlerDefender who won the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996 with Germany, and the 1997 Champions League with Borussia Dortmund.🇩🇪German · Born October 6, 1965View profile
  8. 408Giuseppe BergomiGiuseppe BergomiOne-club Inter Milan defender who won the 1982 World Cup with Italy and three UEFA Cups.🇮🇹Italian · Born December 22, 1963View profile
  9. 409Bill ShanklyBill ShanklyScottish manager who rebuilt Liverpool from the Second Division into champions of England and laid the club's modern foundations.🇬🇧British · Born September 2, 1913 · Died September 29, 1981View profile
  10. 410Oliver BierhoffOliver BierhoffStriker whose golden goal beat the Czech Republic in the Euro 1996 final for Germany.🇩🇪German · Born May 1, 1968View profile
  11. 411Mikel ArtetaMikel ArtetaArsenal manager who won the 2020 FA Cup and previously captained the club as a player.🇪🇸Spanish · Born March 26, 1982View profile
  12. 412Wojciech SzczęsnyWojciech SzczęsnyGoalkeeper who won the FA Cup with Arsenal, then several Serie A titles with Juventus before moving to Barcelona.🇵🇱Polish · Born April 18, 1990View profile
  13. 413Julen LopeteguiJulen LopeteguiManager who guided Sevilla to the 2020 Europa League title.🇪🇸Spanish · Born August 28, 1966View profile
  14. 414Radamel FalcaoRadamel FalcaoStriker nicknamed El Tigre, prolific for Porto and Atlético Madrid and Colombia's record goalscorer.🇨🇴Colombian · Born February 10, 1986View profile
  15. 415Nicolas AnelkaNicolas AnelkaForward who won Euro 2000 with France and the 2008-09 Premier League Golden Boot at Chelsea.🇫🇷French · Born March 14, 1979View profile
  16. 416Jerry WestJerry WestLakers guard whose silhouette is widely believed to have inspired the NBA logo, and a 1972 champion.🇺🇸American · Born May 28, 1938 · Died June 12, 2024View profile
  17. 417Lukas PodolskiLukas PodolskiForward who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany and scored 49 international goals.🇵🇱Polish · Born June 4, 1985View profile
  18. 418Cesare PrandelliCesare PrandelliCoach who led Italy to the Euro 2012 final after earlier success at Fiorentina.🇮🇹Italian · Born August 19, 1957View profile
  19. 419Diego CostaDiego CostaBrazilian-born striker who played for Spain and won La Liga with Atlético Madrid and the Premier League with Chelsea.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born October 7, 1988View profile
  20. 420
    MK
    Mitsuo KamataJapan international who played for his country and afterwards worked as a football manager.🇯🇵Japanese · Born December 16, 1937View profile
  21. 421Zlatko DalićZlatko DalićManager who guided Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and third place in 2022.🇭🇷Croatian · Born October 26, 1966View profile
  22. 422Larry BirdLarry BirdForward who won three NBA titles and three consecutive MVP awards with the Boston Celtics.🇺🇸American · Born December 7, 1956View profile
  23. 423Youri DjorkaeffYouri DjorkaeffAttacking midfielder who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France.🇫🇷French · Born March 9, 1968View profile
  24. 424Hakan ŞükürHakan ŞükürStriker who scored the fastest goal in World Cup history, after eleven seconds, at the 2002 finals.🇹🇷Turkish · Born September 1, 1971View profile
  25. 425Henrik LarssonHenrik LarssonProlific Celtic striker who later won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2006.🇸🇪Swedish · Born September 20, 1971View profile
  26. 426Bixente LizarazuBixente LizarazuLeft-back who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, and many trophies at Bayern Munich.🇫🇷French · Born December 9, 1969View profile
  27. 427Sebastian VettelSebastian VettelGerman driver who won four straight Formula One titles with Red Bull.🇩🇪German · Born July 3, 1987View profile
  28. 428
    MA
    Michio AshikagaJapanese footballer remembered for representing the Japan national team during his playing career.🇯🇵Japanese · Born May 22, 1950View profile
  29. 429LeBron JamesLeBron JamesForward who won four NBA titles and passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league's all-time leading scorer.🇺🇸American · Born December 30, 1984View profile
  30. 430Gareth BaleGareth BaleWinger who won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid and led Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals.🇬🇧British · Born July 16, 1989View profile
  31. 431Ryan GiggsRyan GiggsWinger who won thirteen Premier League titles with Manchester United and holds the club's record for appearances.🇬🇧British · Born November 29, 1973View profile
  32. 432
    HS
    Hideo ShinojimaJapanese footballer of the pre-war period, recorded among the early players of the national game.🇯🇵Japanese · Born January 21, 1910 · Died February 11, 1975View profile
  33. 433RaphinhaRaphinhaForward who made his name at Leeds United before becoming captain of Barcelona.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born December 14, 1996View profile
  34. 434
    EA
    Emmanuel AdebayorTogolese striker who starred for Arsenal and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2008.Togolese · Born February 26, 1984View profile
  35. 435Júlio CésarJúlio CésarGoalkeeper who won the 2010 Champions League with Inter Milan and kept goal for Brazil.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born September 3, 1979View profile
  36. 436
    RS
    Ryozo SuzukiFormer footballer who won international caps for the Japan national team during his playing days.🇯🇵Japanese · Born July 16, 1939View profile
  37. 437Thibaut CourtoisThibaut CourtoisBelgian goalkeeper whose saves in the 2022 Champions League final helped Real Madrid beat Liverpool in Paris.🇧🇪Belgian · Born May 11, 1992View profile
  38. 438Bastian SchweinsteigerBastian SchweinsteigerBayern Munich midfielder who helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.🇩🇪German · Born August 1, 1984View profile
  39. 439Pierre LittbarskiPierre LittbarskiDribbling winger who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and starred for 1. FC Köln.🇩🇪German · Born April 16, 1960View profile
  40. 440Cesc FàbregasCesc FàbregasMidfielder who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain and captained Arsenal.🇪🇸Spanish · Born May 4, 1987View profile
  41. 441Edinson CavaniEdinson CavaniStriker who scored 200 goals for Paris Saint-Germain, becoming their record scorer at the time.🇺🇾Uruguayan · Born February 14, 1987View profile
  42. 442Juan Sebastián VerónJuan Sebastián VerónMidfielder who won Serie A with Lazio and the 2009 Copa Libertadores with Estudiantes.🇦🇷Argentine · Born March 9, 1975View profile
  43. 443Philipp LahmPhilipp LahmFull-back who captained Germany to the 2014 World Cup and won the 2013 treble with Bayern Munich.🇩🇪German · Born November 11, 1983View profile
  44. 444Alisson BeckerAlisson BeckerBrazil goalkeeper who won the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool.🇧🇷Brazilian · Born October 2, 1992View profile
  45. 445Ralf SchumacherRalf SchumacherGerman driver who won six Formula One races, the younger brother of Michael Schumacher.🇩🇪German · Born June 30, 1975View profile
  46. 446Hidetoshi NakataHidetoshi NakataMidfielder who won Serie A with Roma in 2001 and played at three World Cups for Japan.🇯🇵Japanese · Born January 22, 1977View profile
  47. 447Víctor ValdésVíctor ValdésBarcelona goalkeeper who won three Champions League titles and five Zamora Trophies during more than a decade in the first team.🇪🇸Spanish · Born January 14, 1982View profile
  48. 448Mark van BommelMark van BommelDutch midfielder who captained the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup and won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2006.🇳🇱Dutch · Born April 22, 1977View profile
  49. 449Emmanuel PetitEmmanuel PetitMidfielder who scored in France's 3-0 win over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final.🇫🇷French · Born September 22, 1970View profile
  50. 450Ian RushIan RushStriker who is Liverpool's all-time record goalscorer and won the European Cup with the club in 1984.🇬🇧British · Born October 20, 1961View 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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