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Are these the 10 greatest sports moments in history?
POSTED ON: 29 March 2023
POSTED ON: 29 March 2023
From football to boxing, cricket to golf, there are hundreds of different sports in the world. However, no matter how different they are, they all share one big similarity: sports lift us up and make us feel on top of the world. And this special sense of invincibility often comes from iconic moments within sports that have continued to be replayed through the years. That’s why we’ve come up with our own list of some of the greatest sports moments in recent history.
So in no particular order, here are 10 of our favourite (and most unforgettable) sporting moments that have made us laugh, smile - and sometimes even cry.
Etched into the minds of all major golf fans is the time when Tigers Woods embraced his father after becoming the youngest Masters winner at 21. This heartwrenching moment not only marked the beginning of his storied career but came full circle when Woods’ own son jumped into his father's arms just 22 years later in the exact same spot. View our Tiger Woods photos here.
While it’s almost impossible to narrow down LeBron James’ best plays of the decade, the time when with just two minutes left in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, he chased down what looked like an easy win for the Warriors by slamming a block into the blackboard surely comes out on top. For many basketball fans, this play still has to be seen to be believed…
Football drama isn’t just found in the World Cup. In fact, no European final has ever quite been as dramatic as the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. Despite singing victory chants in the dressing room at halftime, AC Milan was soon crushed by their Liverpool opponents, losing their 3-0 lead to the English team who hit back with three goals in six minutes. Coached by footballing legend Steven Gerrard, the team finally won the match in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out - marking one of football’s greatest-ever comebacks. View our Liverpool FC photos here.
One of the most significant moments in her career as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Serena Williams captured her first Grand Slam trophy at just 17 years old at the 1999 U.S. Open and has since credited it for kick-starting her tennis career. Indeed, Williams went on to win 22 more Grand Slam titles, the most by any player in the Open Era, and the second-most of all time.
At the time, the history-making boxing event in Kinshasa was the world’s most watched live television broadcast; ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ saw a recently dethroned Muhammad Ali take back his crown by knocking out heavyweight champ George Foreman in just eight rounds. Ali was the 4–1 underdog and won the title in front of more than one billion television viewers around the world. The fight has since gone down in boxing history. Relive that Muhammed Ali moment here.
Just seven weeks after the tragic terror attack that claimed nearly 3,000 lives, New York was still on extreme alert for another potential attack. But despite the sniffer dogs in the locker room and the influx of security around the pitch, the only things baseball fans remember that day is President George Bush taking the mound at Yankee Stadium in an FDNY jacket. Bush later said that he’d hoped the game would help fans forget - at least for a couple of hours.
Known during his peak as the British face of the cycling world, Chris Hoy won not one, not two, but three gold medals for Team GB during the Beijing Olympic Games. After his momentous win, Hoy was granted a knighthood and voted as Sports personality of the year. In the following Olympics, Sir Chris Hoy went on to win another two gold medals - making him the most successful British Olympic athlete. View our Chris Hoy photos here.
Not many can forget the final game of the 2022 World Cup. After spectators around the world were convinced France had the championship in the bag, the Argentinian team came back with a vengeance. And in his final world cup appearance, Lionel Messi (the G.O.A.T himself) had a hand in all three of Argentina’s goals. With his golden boot and the pure skill of the Argentinian team that day, Messi took the team’s first penalty and set them on the way to their first World Cup win since 1986. You can see our Lionel Messi photos here.
Another iconic British sportsman, rower Steve Redgrave become a legend in his own right when he won a fifth consecutive rowing gold medal at the Olympic games at Sydney. Previous to his fifth gold win, Redgrave allegedly joked that he should be shot if he ever went near a boat again - but this didn’t last long. At 38 Redgrave joined Great Britain’s coxless four in Sydney. The team came out on top after a dramatic race where the British rowers won by 0.38 seconds, firmly ensuring Sir Steve’s status as a rowing legend. View our Steve Redgrave photos here.
A legendary heavyweight champion who went down in boxing history when retiring undefeated - Rocky Marciano’s retirement was just as golden as his career. Throughout his time in the ring, Marciano was known for his formidable fighting style and indomitable punching power. With 49 wins over 49 fights (including 43 spectacular knockouts), Marciano defended his title six times - and never faltered in doing so. View our Rocky Marciano photos here.
So there you have it, our 10 greatest sports moments in sporting history. From ever-lasting dynasties, underdog champions, and late drama in title games, did your favourite sporting moment make it onto our list?
