The greatest player of all time in every sport is always a matter of debate. Each pundit or sports fan has their own opinion; based on facts, stats, and sometimes even biased feelings, but some guys simply cannot be argued against. The most indisputable athletes have everything to back them up, including pure statistics and what they accomplished during their careers.
While there are some indisputable GOATs, some of the athletes on this list will be a matter of heavy dispute and we expect that. As a result, it is time to name the greatest player of all time of every team sport until we rank the one and only GOAT of all GOATS.
Basketball: Michael Jordan
There isn’t really a debate when it comes to who the greatest basketball player of all time is. Michael Jordan was everything to the sport and everything to the world. He was Michael Jackson, he was Muhammad Ali, he was the greatest professional in his field ever.
He dominated the NBA for as long as he was in it, winning 6 NBA titles with 6 NBA Finals MVPs. Not to mention, he was the greatest scorer of all time with 10 scoring titles, 5 MVP Awards and also won a Defensive Player of the Year Award showcasing his all-around game.
MJ has rocked the universe forever because of his on-court dominance and he remains number one.
Football: Tom Brady
While the likes of Dan Marino and have often held the title as the best ever, it is impossible to argue against Tom Brady anymore after his most recent Super Bowl victory in 2018.
Brady and the Patriots have had a dynasty that was simply behind anything we have ever seen in professional football. Their run was unprecedented, as Brady was the architect and undisputed leader of 6 Super Bowl titles, the only player to do so, along with 4 Super Bowl MVPs and 3 League MVPs.
The NFL is a quarterback’s game, and Brady is the undisputed king of the quarterback position. His mental toughness and calmness on the field gave the Patriots an almost unbeatable aura. If he can somehow win a 7th ring with Tampa Bay, Brady will be entering a stratosphere that we have never seen before from a professional athlete.
Baseball: Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth was the greatest hitter that we have ever seen. He had it all, from insane flexibility to great size. Ruth was a powerful hitter, with a career .342 batting average and 714 home-runs. He had a hawk’s eye for seeing the ball and knew in an instant when to smash it into the stands.
Ruth was also an extreme competitor, with intense hunger and desire to win every game no matter the circumstances. Ruth would not accept anything mediocre from himself nor his teammates, and that is the reason he won a whopping 7 World Series. From slugging the ball to pitching and even running, Ruth earns the case for being the best baseball player to have ever lived.
Soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo
Perhaps the greatest debate in soccer history is deciding which player is the best: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi might have 6 Ballon d’Or to Ronaldo’s 5, but CR7 has done things that no player has ever done.
Ronaldo has played and dominated the three best leagues in the world. When Ronaldo was in the Premier League, nobody had his talent and even the greatest manager of all-time in Sir Alex Ferguson regarded him as “the brightest ornament on a tree” when describing all the players he has seen. Ronaldo then dominated La Liga, winning 2 La Liga titles, and now on his way to winning the Serie A with Juventus as the (current) leading scorer in the league with 30 goals. Not to mention, he won the Euro Cup with Portugal as the captain and amassed 5 Champions League titles.
On the pitch, he has no weakness with the ability to score with his head and both feet. Even as a global icon off the pitch, Ronaldo is the best soccer player ever.
Hockey: Wayne Gretzky
When you think of hockey, you think of Wayne Gretzky. He broke almost every record there is to break, and it will be nearly impossible for anyone to ever pass him. Gretzky holds the record for most career points (2,857), most career assists (1,963), most career goals (1,072), and most Hart Trophies with 9. The Great One simply dominated the sport of hockey for so long, that nobody really comes close.
Based on statistics and longevity alone, Gretzky has the case for being the most dominant sports star in North American history. He played 20 years in the NHL and holds a multitude of unbreakable records including those listed above. Gretzky will forever be known as the GOAT of hockey.
The Greatest GOAT: Michael Jordan
Wayne Gretzky has shattered every record. Tom Brady’s leadership is truly sensational. But the greatest ever is Michael Jordan. You can walk in the middle of a barren desert and you will find someone who knows who Michael Jordan is. No athlete has translated from a sports figure to a global icon like him, because he had it all. On the court, he was unstoppable and the accolades speak for themselves.
Almost every NBA player has claimed Jordan to be the best they have ever seen, and the eye test won’t fool you when you watched him dominate the game.
Even off the court, his charisma and larger-than-life personality encompassed the masses and made everyone want to “Be Like Mike”. He was a rockstar off the court and a superstar on the court and the greatest athlete to have ever lived.
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