Most Epic Sports Moments of all Time
Nothing brings people together quite like a major sporting event. Whether it is a major international football final, American football or a major boxing fight, sports fans across the planet share the same feelings of excitement, joy and sometimes despair.
There have been countless memorable moments in the history of professional sports, so it is very tough to pick out the most iconic. But that is what we have attempted to do, selecting some of the greatest sporting moments of all time from a range of different disciplines.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it…
Muhammad Ali defeats George Foreman
Arguably the best sports moment of all time, Muhammed Ali’s victory over George Foreman is the stuff of legends. Billed as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ due to it being staged in Kinshasa, Zaire (modern-day DR Congo), the heavyweight boxing fight was reportedly watched by over a billion people. Foreman was the favourite. He was undefeated heading into the bout, and was the reigning WBA and WBC champion. Yet Ali sprang a major surprise. After introducing what would become his iconic rope-a-dope tactic, the 32-year-old knocked Foreman out in the eighth round. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee – his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see,” Ali said before the fight. He was proved right.
Leicester City win the Premier League
One of the greatest underdog stories in sports history, Leicester City stunned the football world by winning the Premier League title in 2015/16. They had only narrowly avoided relegation to the second tier of the English game the previous season, and their appointment of Claudio Ranieri as their new manager was widely criticised. Yet everything clicked for the Foxes, who topped the table on Christmas Day. A three-match winless streak looked like it would end their improbable dream, but Leicester bounced back and went on a remarkable run in the second half of the campaign to finish 10 points clear in first place. Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante were the team’s most important players, but this was an extraordinary collective effort.
Babe Ruth calls his shot
Babe Ruth made his last appearance in Major League Baseball in 1935, but he is still held up as one of the best ever players in the sport. His most iconic moment came three years before that, when his New York Yankees team faced the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
Charlie Root, the Cubs pitcher, was a formidable opponent. In the fifth inning, Ruth stepped up to the plate and pointed, supposedly gesturing a home run. And that is exactly what he did, hitting a mammoth shot to help his team triumph in what was his final World Series.
Michael Jordan downs Cleveland
The most memorable match in Michael Jordan’s career was probably his 63-point haul against the Boston Celtics in 1986. But his most iconic shot on a basketball court came three years later, when his Chicago Bulls side faced Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-offs. The Cavaliers were three seconds away from victory in the best-of-five series when Jordan collected the ball from an inbound pass. He spun away from Craig Ehlo and launched a perfect buzzer-beater shot to secure a last-gasp win for the Bulls. “I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. When you think about the consequences you always think of a negative result,” Jordan once said.
Diego Maradona’s cunning genius vs England
By common consensus, the best goal in World Cup history came in the 1986 tournament. The quarter-final between England and Argentina was a grudge match, coming as it did just four years after the two countries were at war. In the first half, Maradona scored one of the most controversial goals of all time, punching the ball in with his fist. It was scored “a little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God,” the man himself said afterwards. Four minutes later, Maradona picked up possession inside his own half and dribbled past half the England team, before rolling the ball home to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal serve up a classic
Two of the greatest men’s tennis players of all time shared a legendary rivalry for much of their careers. Both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were world-class, but their differing styles meant any matches between them were a must-watch. The most entertaining contest between them was an extraordinary final at the 2008 edition of Wimbledon. Nadal won both of the first two sets 6-4, before Federer responded with two 7-6 sets. The fifth set also went to a tiebreak, with Nadal eventually winning 9-7. “That’s the best tennis match I’ve ever seen in my life. I was just happy to be there, to be part of that final. You cannot see a better tennis match,” said Bjorn Borg, another tennis great.
Tiger Woods wins comeback Masters
A moment in sports history that will live long in the memories of all those who witnessed it is Tiger Woods’ triumph at the 2019 Masters. The American was by then firmly established as one of the greatest golfers the world has ever seen, but his days at the top of the sport appeared to be over. Between 1997 and 2008, Woods won a total of 14 major championships (the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the US Open, and the Open Championship). That put him second to only Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 majors throughout his career. After a decade in decline, Woods shocked the golf world by triumphing in 2019. “My kids got to see what it’s like to have their dad win a major championship,” he said. “I hope that’s something they will never forget.”
Brian Lara 400 not out
In the England national team’s tour of the West Indies in 2004, Brian Lara made Test cricket history by scoring 400 runs without getting out. The iconic achievement came in the fourth test; in the first three tests, neither England nor West Indies scored 400 as a team. The West Indies batsman hit four centuries in just 582 balls, which included 43 fours and four sixes. He was at the crease for 12 hours and 58 minutes, helping the West Indies score 751 before they declared.
USA hockey team stun USSR
At the height of the Cold War, the United States ice hockey team pulled off what may well be their country’s best victory in any sport. The Soviet Union had won the gold medal in five of the previous six Winter Olympics. They were undisputedly the best team in the world, and home advantage for the USA was not expected to make much of a difference in the medal round of the 1980 tournament. But the USA had not read the script. Their players produced the performance of their lives to win 4-3 in what came to be known as the Miracle on Ice. The USA then went on to beat Finland to scoop gold.
Sports World Records
Some of the moments mentioned above were sporting records. Others were one-off achievements which had significance because of the wider context.
In this section we have taken a look at three of the most impressive sporting world records. We are not saying these will never be broken, but it will certainly be hard for anyone to displace the five superstars below.
Pele’s three World Cups
Regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time, Pele has won more World Cups than any other individual else in the sport. His first triumph came when he was just 17 years old, as the precocious teenager helped Brazil to glory at the 1958 event in Sweden. Injury restricted his involvement four years later, yet Pele still collected a winner’s medal as Brazil went on to triumph in Chile. The 1966 edition in England did not go well for the Selecao, who crashed out in the group stage, but a 29-year-old Pele was at his imperious best as Brazil lifted the trophy for a third time in 1970.
Usain Bolt at 9.58
In May 2008 Usain Bolt, the legendary Jamaican sprinter, set a new world record in the 100 metres. He completed the race in 9.72 seconds to edge out his compatriot Asafa Powell, who had run it in 9.74 seconds eight months prior. It turns out Bolt was just getting started. At the Olympics in Beijing later that year, he set both a new world record and a new competition record by running the 100 metres in 9.69 seconds to claim the gold medal ahead of Richard Thompson and Walter Dix. Then, at the World Athletics Championships in 2009, Bolt broke new ground once again. His 9.58-second sprint was a sight to behold, and the record has now stood for almost 14 years.
Serena Williams out in front
The Open Era in tennis began in 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete alongside amateurs. Margaret Court was probably the biggest star of the women’s game back then, and 11 of her 24 Grand Slams came after that fundamental change in the late 1960s. But if we only take the Open Era into account, Serena Williams is way out in front when it comes to Grand Slam victories, which refers to the sport’s four biggest tournaments: the Australian Open, the US Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. Williams won those competitions no fewer than 23 times, putting her one one ahead of Steffi Graf.
Michael Phelps the Olympic king
Michael Phelps was marked out as something very special before he had even turned 16. At the age of 15 years and nine months, the swimmer made history by breaking the world record in the 200-meter butterfly. It was not the last time he made people’s jaws drop. Phelps went on to enjoy an illustrious career – and many of his greatest achievements came on the biggest stage of all. The American is the most successful Olympian in history, having won a total of 28 medals between 2004 and 2016. Twenty-three of those medals were gold, which underlines how exceptional Phelps was.
Jarmila Kratochvilova cannot be caught
There must be no feeling in athletics like setting a new world record. But it must also be a deflating experience when that record is broken within hours or days, as has happened on multiple occasions in the past. Jarmila Kratochvilova has no such worries. Her record in the women’s 800 metres has stood since 1983, which is in itself a world record in athletics. In the 40 years since she ran the race in 1:53.28, no one has managed to knock Kratochvilova off top spot.
Last updated: 26.02.25
