One question that bears an inconclusive answer and will hardly fade among sports like-minds will always remain “Who is the GOAT of sports” – Greatest Of All-Time?
People who aren’t familiar with sports will likely find the term somewhat problematic, but rest assured; we’re not referring to a farm animal here. GOAT is an acronym within popular cycles for “Greatest of All Time” – a tag specially reserved for that individual deemed to be the undisputed maestro of their craft and, in this particular case, sits in the uppermost echelon of their sport’s world success, that once attained can last ad infinitum and hardly be clinched by another.
Aside from being an exceptional talent, for one to be considered the GOAT, the individual must maintain a consistently high level of achievement. While this term has been in use for an extended period, it was popularized in the 20th century by late heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, who, in 1964, declared himself “the greatest” after defeating Sonny Liston.
The very nature of these arguments over the years means there is no hard and fast method to measure who exactly is the greatest of all time. For some, this reasoning is outdated and unnecessary, yet to some, it is a debate that needs further demonstration. But that reality hasn’t stopped the arguments.
Sports GOAT are a matter of continuous debate within the sporting community. Still, the consensus in recent years has narrowed the question down to a handful of sporting activities and individuals in particular.
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The late parts of the 20th century saw the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona (football/soccer), Michael Jordan(basketball), Mike Tyson(boxing), Tiger Woods(golf), and Michael Schumacher(formula 1), to name. Still, a few attain the kind of success in their distinguished sports that could only be deemed acts of god. In comparison, the 21st century has witnessed Roger Federer(tennis), Usain Bolt(100m track sprint), Tom Brady(NFL), Kobe Bryant and LeBron James(basketball), Lewis Hamilton(formula 1), Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo(football/soccer) as some of the notable names branded the GOAT.
The gauge for discerning who the real GOAT is can vary. Still, some have highlighted sports based on popularity and fan base as ideal validity to showcase who should clinch the illustrious Alias. While some object to this, the beautiful game of football is arguably named by a significant majority as the king of sports owing to its popularity. It offers more exciting competitions and has seen a plethora of stars in the likes of:
- Diego Maradona, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 1986 who shone at Barcelona and Napoli, as one example,
- Netherlands and Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff is another individual many consider the greatest footballer of all time. He won three Ballon d’Or trophies – an award given to a player who is regarded as the best in the world during his career and was a creative force that drove Ajax FC to three European Cup triumphs in the early 1970s.
- Then Ronaldo De Lima, Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer, and recent candidates like Andres Iniesta, Luka Modric, Xavi and Ronaldinho, who have all received the tag.
- Then, the much talked about and debated duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have also been regularly present on similar lists of elite-level athletes. Ronaldo and Messi have won the Ballon d’Or on at least five occasions, more than any other player. Messi edges things in the European Golden Shoe— five to Ronaldo’s four, while Ronaldo outshines Messi 5-4 in the amount of Champions League titles. The gauge for discerning who the GOAT is varies. Still, some have highlighted Ronaldo’s ability to excel in several countries as a reason for placing him ahead of Messi.
Lovers of track and field events will inarguably say Jamaican world record sprinter Usain Bolt is the most outstanding athlete ever. Bolt has two world records that have stood for 14 years now.
Followers of swimming sports will tip American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps as the greatest of all time. Phelps has won 23 gold medals— the most medals ever by an athlete.
Tennis lovers, on their part, will say Roger Federer is clear anyway. During his prime, fans will remember him for popularizing the sport and his 18 grand slam title achievements.
The list of athletes and achievements can go on and on across varied sporting fields, but in a true sense, is there a greatest of all-time athletes in sports, or is it one debate somewhat of a paradox? The answer to this varies depending not just on undoubted results but based on individual opinions and interests. Whatever the case may be, the debate for who are sports greatest among the stars mentioned above and even many more not mentioned will always create an insatiable answer.
But truth be told, as long as time exists, there will always be a chance that some phenomenon will emerge from the obscurity fog and exceed existing and past achievers. However, that would require an enormous effort which may seem highly unlikely to the common sense.
