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Rankings & Lists

Greatest British Sports Stars of All Time

The finest British and Irish athletes across every sport.

50Athletes Ranked

The finest British and Irish athletes across every sport.

1
SL

British·Formula 1

Sir Lewis Hamilton

British Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, with seven world championships and numerous F1 records

7× World Champion · 105 race wins

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2
AM

British·Tennis

Andy Murray

Three-time Grand Slam champion who ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's Wimbledon title in 2013. Won two Olympic singles gold medals — t

3 Grand Slams · 41 weeks at No.1

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3
GB

Northern Irish·Football

George Best

Manchester United's mercurial genius — European Footballer of the Year 1968 and arguably the most naturally gifted British player of all tim

179 career goals · 9 international goals

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4
DT

British·Athletics

Daley Thompson

British decathlete who dominated the event in the 1980s, winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals and setting multiple world records in t

2 Olympic golds

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5
SC

British·Athletics

Sebastian Coe

British middle-distance runner who dominated 800m and 1500m events in the 1980s, winning four Olympic medals and setting nine world records

2 Olympic golds · 9 world records

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6
JE

British·Athletics

Jessica Ennis-Hill

British heptathlete who became one of athletics' biggest stars, winning Olympic gold at London 2012 and three World Championship titles.

1 Olympic golds · 3 world titles

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7
SM

British/Somali·Athletics

Sir Mo Farah

British-Somali long-distance runner, four-time Olympic champion and six-time World Champion in 5000m and 10000m events, knighted in 2017

4 Olympic golds · 6 world titles

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8
SC

Scottish·Cycling

Sir Chris Hoy

Six Olympic gold medals — Britain's most decorated Olympian at the time of his retirement and the defining figure of the British cycling gol

Olympic Gold 6x

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9
BW

British·Cycling

Bradley Wiggins

British cyclist who became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012, combining exceptional time trial ability with five Olympic go

Tour de France 2012

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10
NF

British·Golf

Nick Faldo

British professional golfer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, known for his methodical approach and major champion

6 majors · 41 tour wins

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11
IB

English·Cricket

Ian Botham

English cricket all-rounder, one of the greatest cricketers of all time, famous for his heroic 1981 Ashes performances and charity walks.

5200 Test runs · 33.54 Test avg

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12
RM

Northern Irish·Golf

Rory McIlroy

Northern Irish professional golfer who became the youngest player to reach €10 million in European Tour earnings and has spent over 100 week

5 majors · 26 tour wins

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13
RH

British·Boxing

Ricky Hatton

British professional boxer known as 'The Hitman', former world champion in light welterweight and welterweight divisions with aggressive fig

45-3 · 32 KOs

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14
JC

Welsh·Boxing

Joe Calzaghe

Welsh professional boxer who retired undefeated at 46-0, widely regarded as one of the greatest super middleweights and light heavyweights o

46-0-0 · 32 KOs

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15
LL

British/Canadian·Boxing

Lennox Lewis

British-Canadian heavyweight boxer who became the last undisputed heavyweight champion of the 20th century, defeating Mike Tyson in 2002

41-2-1 · 32 KOs

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16
JW

English·Rugby Union

Jonny Wilkinson

The drop goal that won the World Cup — the most pressure-resistant kicker in rugby history.

91 caps · 1246 points

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17
GE

Welsh·Rugby Union

Gareth Edwards

The try against the Barbarians in 1973 — Gareth Edwards's score, launched from inside the Welsh half after a sequence of passing beginning i

53 caps · 20 tries

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18
SJ

Scottish·Formula 1

Sir Jackie Stewart

Three world championships and the man who transformed F1 safety — Sir Jackie Stewart saved countless lives through his relentless safety cam

3× World Champion · 27 race wins

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19
JC

Scottish·Formula 1

Jim Clark

Scottish Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, known for his exceptional skill and smooth driv

2× World Champion · 25 race wins

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20
KD

Scottish·Football

Kenny Dalglish

One of football's greatest ever forwards and managers — King Kenny who won six league titles with Liverpool as player and manager.

339 career goals · 30 international goals

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21
GL

English·Football

Gary Lineker

England's third-highest goalscorer and 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner, renowned for his clinical finishing and sportsmanship.

281 career goals · 48 international goals

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22
SA

Scottish·Football

Sir Alex Ferguson

The most successful manager in British football history — 38 trophies with Manchester United including 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champi

222 career goals

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23
SS

British·Rowing

Sir Steve Redgrave

British rowing legend who won five consecutive Olympic gold medals from 1984-2000, making him one of Britain's greatest Olympians of all tim

5 Olympic golds · 6 Olympic medals

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24
TM

British·Horse Racing

Tom Marquand

British flat racing jockey born in 2000, known for his tactical racing style and multiple Group 1 victories including the Prix du Jockey Clu

6 classics · 2022× champion

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25
JM

English·Football

James Milner

The ultimate professional — a versatile, tireless midfielder who excelled across two decades and three of England's biggest clubs.

60 career goals · 1 international goals

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26
BC

English·Football

Ben Chilwell

Attack-minded English left-back whose overlapping runs and delivery made him a key part of Chelsea's Champions League-winning side.

11 career goals · 1 international goals

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27
DS

English·Football

Daniel Sturridge

Electrifying English striker whose lethal finishing powered Liverpool's famous 2013-14 title challenge alongside Luis Suárez.

68 career goals · 8 international goals

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28
AO

English·Football

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Dynamic and powerful English midfielder whose career at Arsenal and Liverpool was curtailed by a devastating knee injury.

20 career goals · 7 international goals

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29
OA

British / Nigerian·Basketball

OG Anunoby

Elite two-way wing of British-Nigerian heritage whose lockdown defence and evolving scoring made him one of the NBA's most coveted forwards.

2019× champion

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30
JD

British·Horse Racing

James Doyle

British flat racing jockey born in 1984, known for his Group 1 victories and partnership with leading trainers including multiple Royal Asco

6 classics · 2015× champion

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31
KH

British·Athletics

Keely Hodgkinson

British middle-distance runner specializing in 800m, Olympic champion, world champion, and holder of multiple British records in athletics.

1 Olympic golds · 2024 world titles

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32
JC

English·Football

Jack Charlton

Towering centre-back who won the World Cup with England and later became a national hero in Ireland as their beloved manager.

72 career goals · 6 international goals

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33
JC

Welsh·Darts

Jonny Clayton

Welsh professional darts player known as 'The Ferret', Premier League and Grand Slam champion who works as a plasterer alongside his darts c

2021 majors

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34
DG

Northern Irish·Darts

Daryl Gurney

Northern Irish professional darts player known for winning the 2017 UK Open and World Grand Prix, reaching world championship quarter-finals

2017 majors

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35
AM

Northern Irish·Horse Racing

AP McCoy

Northern Irish jump jockey who became the most successful National Hunt jockey in history with over 4,300 career winners and 20 consecutive

4358 wins · 20× champion

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36
PT

English·Darts

Phil Taylor

English professional darts player widely regarded as the greatest of all time, dominating the sport from the 1990s through 2010s with 16 PDC

16× World Champion · 16 majors

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37
BB

British/Welsh·Rugby League

Billy Boston

The greatest winger in rugby league history — Billy Boston's 571 tries for Wigan are a club record and his pace and power were extraordinary

571 tries

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38
MO

English·Rugby League

Martin Offiah

English rugby league winger widely regarded as one of the fastest players ever, known for spectacular tries and record-breaking try-scoring

33 caps · 501 tries

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39
AO

Irish·Horse Racing

Aidan O'Brien

Irish thoroughbred racehorse trainer widely regarded as one of the greatest trainers in racing history with over 400 Group 1 victories to hi

50 classics

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40
WC

Scottish·Horse Racing

Willie Carson

Scottish jockey who became one of Britain's greatest flat racing riders, winning the Derby four times and Champion Jockey title five times.

3800 wins · 5× champion

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41
WR

English·Football

Wayne Rooney

English footballer and Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer with 253 goals, earning 120 England caps and scoring 53 international

763 career goals · 53 international goals

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42
RM

British·Horse Racing

Ryan Moore

British flat racing jockey born 1983, two-time Champion Flat Jockey who won multiple Classics including two Epsom Derbies and the Prix de l'

25 classics · 9× champion

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43
EH

British·Rugby League

Ellery Hanley

British rugby league legend, captain of Great Britain, regarded as one of the greatest players ever with exceptional leadership and versatil

428 tries

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44
WM

Irish·Horse Racing

Willie Mullins

Irish racehorse trainer, one of the most successful National Hunt trainers in history with multiple Cheltenham Festival records and Champion

20× champion

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45
JG

British·Horse Racing

John Gosden

British racehorse trainer who has trained multiple Classic winners including Enable, one of the greatest fillies in racing history.

20 classics · 8× champion

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46
DM

English·Rugby League

Danny McGuire

English rugby league scrum-half who became one of Super League's greatest playmakers, winning six Super League titles with Leeds Rhinos and

24 caps · 320 tries

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47
RO

British·Snooker

Ronnie O'Sullivan

British snooker player widely regarded as the greatest of all time, known for his natural talent, attacking style and record seven World Cha

7× World Champion · 15 maximums

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48
JR

British·Motorsport

Jonathan Rea

British motorcycle racer and six-time World Superbike Championship winner, holding the record for most WSBK wins with over 100 race victorie

6× World Champion · 120 race wins

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49
RM

English·Rugby League

Roger Millward

English rugby league legend, standoff who captained Great Britain and won three Challenge Cups with Hull Kingston Rovers in the 1970s and 19

29 caps · 262 tries

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50
HK

English·Football

Harry Kane

England's all-time leading goalscorer and one of the Premier League's most prolific strikers — a complete centre-forward of exceptional qual

395 career goals · 68 international goals

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