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From record-breaking performances to impossible underdog triumphs, sports history is filled with moments that transcend the game itself. Join us as we count down the most impactful and unforgettable moments in sports history! Our countdown includes the Thrilla in Manila, Usain Bolt's 100m World Record, Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics, The Miracle on Ice, and so much more!
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00:00His history in games where he's either been hurt or sick has been bad news for the opponent.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 30 most impactful
00:09and memorable moments that define sports history.
00:11Tom Brady, you are the man, you are the goat!
00:15Number 30. Barcelona's unthinkable comeback.
00:18When Barcelona slumped to a 4-0 defeat against PSG in the 2016-2017 Champions League knockout
00:24stages, most fans agreed that the tie had been settled. The Spanish Giants would need to destroy
00:28one of the best teams in the world in order to turn things around. A team that had just proven
00:31themselves to be far superior. Somehow, someway, this second leg turned into one of the most dramatic
00:36footballing spectacles of all time. Barca came out determined to make an early statement, scoring
00:40just three minutes into the game. By the time the final seconds arrived, they had gone up 5-1,
00:44before Sergei Roberto found his sixth goal in the 95th minute, sealing the most unlikely comeback in
00:49football history. Number 29. Roger Bannister breaks 4-minute mile. It was almost unanimously agreed
00:54upon that the idea of breaking the 4-minute mile was impossible. The most sought-after target in
00:59athletics, the 4-minute mile, was achieved yesterday evening on the Oxford University track.
01:03Such a feat would require a level of consistent speed and endurance that seemed out of reach for
01:07any level of athlete. However, in 1954, Roger Bannister pushed through this barrier, recording a
01:12mile-run time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. All of a sudden, the world was forced to recalibrate
01:18their
01:18entire notion of humans and their limitations. In the time since, around 2,000 athletes have
01:33broken the 4-minute mile. But it was the 25-year-old Bannister who managed to show us all that
01:37it was
01:38very possible. Number 28. Serena Williams wins first Grand Slam. Every great legacy has to start
01:43somewhere. For Serena Williams, she followed her older sister Venus into the pro ranks in the mid-90s.
01:47In 1999, at the age of 17, she reached her first major final, the US Open, facing the icon Martina
01:52Hingis. If there were any signs of nerves or feelings of inadequacy, Serena was not showing them. She
02:08stepped up to the plate and defeated her opponent, ushering in a new era for the women's game,
02:12one where athleticism and power would rule supreme.
02:15Ladies and gentlemen, the 1999 US Open women's singles champion, Serena Williams.
02:26It stood as the starting point for one of the most impressive careers in the history of tennis.
02:30Number 27. Bulls win sixth NBA title. For any legendary basketball player, winning a three-peat is
02:36just about as good as it gets in terms of showcasing your dominance. For the great Michael Jordan, winning
02:40back-to-back-to-back titles just once wasn't enough.
02:50By the time 1998 rolled around, he and his Chicago Bulls had somehow come within touching distance of
02:55yet another three-peat. With the mighty Utah Jazz as their foes, winning this game's sixth showdown
02:59would require every ounce of energy out of Jordan. Framed as his final game for the Bulls no matter
03:04what, MJ gave it his all, scoring 45 points while dragging his team across the finish line in the
03:09final few minutes. As fitting an end to Jordan's time with the Bulls as one could ever ask for.
03:19Number 26. Chicago Cubs finally end the drought. 108 years without a World Series to their name was
03:25long enough for the Chicago Cubs to start getting superstitious about their failure. The curse of
03:29the Billy Goat was the name given to this unusual drought. Generations had passed by without any
03:41results right up until they met the Cleveland Indians in 2016 with everything to play for.
03:45In this final game, it came down to the wire. Many fans of the Cubs who had tasted defeat on
03:49so many
03:50occasions expected it once again, right up until the final moments. However, they would finally break
03:54through, defeating their foes to end one of the most infamous baron spells in sporting history.
03:58The Chicago Cubs win the World Series. The Cubs come pouring out of the dugout. Jumping up and down.
04:08Number 25. Simone Biles' Historic Performances. When it comes to excellence in the modern era of sports,
04:14few athletes have succeeded in showcasing levels quite as high as Simone Biles. In the sport of gymnastics,
04:19she managed to set a new technical benchmark. Her performance at the 2016 Olympics in particular
04:23have since been regarded as revolutionary in the sport. In many ways, her four gold medals and one
04:28bronze were secondary to how she was able to bring us a new standard of excellence for gymnasts across
04:32the world. Composure under pressure can be a skill that rattles even the most skilled athletes. But in
04:372016, Biles well and truly rose to the occasion. Number 24. Nadal outlasts Federer at Wimbledon.
04:44On the long list of marathon games of tennis, Rafael Nadal's showdown with Roger Federer was something to
04:48behold. It was the third consecutive Wimbledon final between Spain's Rafael Nadal and Roger
04:54Federer from Switzerland, the two best players of their generation and both all-time greats of the
05:00game. In a matchup that went on for nearly five hours, both men had their endurance and resilience
05:05tested to their absolute limits. The dominant Federer had finally met his match in the form of
05:10this relentless challenger. And over the course of the five sets, we saw some of the highest levels
05:14of tennis ever played. In the end, Nadal's extraordinary gas tank and mental fortitude
05:18saw him win it in dramatic fashion. To this day, there's an argument to be made that this was the
05:29single greatest game in the history of the sport. Number 23. Messi's World Cup Glory for Argentina.
05:34Not every great player is born into a national side that is capable of challenging for World Cup
05:38glory. But Lionel Messi's Argentina side had underperformed over the years relative to expectations.
05:43The final of the 22nd World Cup. France again or Argentina at last?
05:51However, despite the fact that the clock was ticking down on his prime, Messi led his side to
05:56the 2022 World Cup final to face France. What followed was a showdown for the ages, a truly
06:00gripping piece of football theater that ended with a dramatic penalty shootout. Messi and Argentina were
06:05victorious at last, and with that, this superstar was able to truly ascend to the level of Pele and
06:10Maradona with no further argument.
06:24Number 22. Ali reclaims throne and rumble in the jungle. By the time 1974 came, Muhammad Ali was
06:30seemingly past his best, a slower and less mobile version of the man who beat Sonny Liston in the 60s.
06:35George Foreman, on the other hand, represented the future.
06:37Twenty-five-year-old George Foreman was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
06:44Undefeated in 40 straight fights, Foreman had destroyed Joe Frazier inside two rounds to win the title and had demolished
06:51Ken Norton in equally devastating fashion.
06:53He had the power to conclusively end Ali when they met in Zaire.
06:57Analysts saw the former champ as a lamb being led to the slaughter, and yet when fight night came, something
07:01incredible happened.
07:02Ali didn't dance like he was known to, but he used the rope-a-dope strategy to tire the younger
07:06man out.
07:07By round eight, Foreman was spent, utterly beaten by this ingenious strategy.
07:11When Ali finally knocked him down, Big George didn't get back up.
07:21Possibly the greatest victory in heavyweight boxing history.
07:24Number 21. Michael Phelps' record-breaking eight gold medals.
07:27When Mark Spitz set a record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics, it was the type of achievement
07:32that may never have actually been broken if it weren't for Michael Phelps.
07:35He stormed onto the scene as a dominant swimmer in the 2000s, coming into the 2008 Olympics in prime form.
07:40In what can only be described as a generationally great display of athleticism, Phelps went on to win eight medals.
07:45There was simply no precedent for this level of achievement, and most experts consider his record to be almost unbreakable.
07:51Number 20. The Boston Red Sox win the 2004 World Series.
07:54Do you believe in this? The Curse of the Bambino?
07:57Hey, seriously, that's not funny. That's not for that.
07:58Some people literally waited their whole lives to watch the Red Sox win the World Series.
08:02And some people tragically went their whole lives without seeing it, even if they lived into their 80s.
08:07Before 2004, the Red Sox last won the series in 1918, a historic drought that is often attributed to the
08:13so-called Curse of the Bambino,
08:15which began after Babe Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919.
08:18But sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals sealed the triumph and erased nearly a century of heartbreak for Boston fans.
08:24For many, it wasn't just a victory. It was a cultural moment that resonated far beyond baseball,
08:28symbolizing resilience, redemption, and the breaking of what some people referred to as a generational curse.
08:34Back to folk. Red Sox fans have longed to hear it. The Boston Red Sox are world champions.
08:42Number 19. Borg vs. McEnroe.
08:44The 1980 Wimbledon Men's Singles Final showcased a contrasting matchup of styles and personalities,
08:50as the ice-cooled Swede, Bjorn Borg, faced the volatile New Yorker, John McEnroe.
08:56Those in attendance at the 1980 Wimbledon Final witnessed what many considered to be the greatest tennis match ever played.
09:01Bjorn Borg, the stoic ice man, was seeking his fifth straight Wimbledon title,
09:06while John McEnroe, the fiery young American, was challenging the establishment.
09:09Their contrast and temperament made the match compelling and thematic before it even began.
09:14But on court, the level of play was simply extraordinary,
09:17highlighted by the legendary fourth-set tie-break which many consider the most nail-biting tennis of all time.
09:23Borg ultimately emerged victorious after nearly four hours, embodying his insane endurance and mental resilience.
09:29It not only cemented both players' legacies, but also elevated tennis' profile on the global stage,
09:35becoming a cultural touchstone for the sports golden era.
09:37The 1980 Men's Singles Final was an amazing spectacle,
09:41which concluded with Bjorn Borg underlining his greatness by securing his fifth consecutive Wimbledon crown,
09:49to leave John McEnroe in the depths of despair.
09:5318. Michael Schumacher Wins His Sixth Title
09:56Likewise, if Michael Schumacher wins his record sixth title,
10:00no exaggeration to say, it'll be the greatest achievement in the history of Formula One.
10:04Before Michael Schumacher and his bright red Ferrari burst onto the scene,
10:08the F1 history books were dominated by Juan Manuel Fangio.
10:11The Argentine driver won five world titles, a record that was long considered untouchable.
10:16In fact, the record held for nearly 50 years.
10:19Unlike his more dominant season, Schumacher's 2003 campaign demanded resilience, precision, and consistency,
10:25as he was hounded by the likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya.
10:29And the season went down to the wire, with the winner being determined at Suzuka.
10:33While Schumacher finished in a rather disappointing eighth,
10:36it was still enough to clinch his record-breaking sixth title,
10:38cementing his status as the greatest driver of his era and redefining the benchmarks of F1 greatness.
10:43We were all around to see it then, this historic moment when Michael Schumacher
10:49became the first six-time world Formula One champion.
10:54Without a shadow of a doubt, it's the greatest achievement in the history of Formula One racing,
11:01and it's been done by this man after a very eventful Grand Prix.
11:05Number 17, Nelson Mandela at the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
11:09That's it! South Africa have won the World Cup,
11:16having been back in international rugby for less than three years.
11:21Just a year after the end of apartheid, South Africa was still badly fractured along racial lines.
11:26But rugby, long seen as a sport of the country's white minority,
11:29became a stage for unity with the appearance of President Nelson Mandela.
11:33Wearing a spring box jersey and cap,
11:35he presented the Webb Ellis Cup to South African captain Francois Pinar.
11:39This gesture inspired many, signaling reconciliation between black South Africans
11:43and the historically white rugby establishment,
11:46and symbolizing a new era of shared national pride.
11:49The moment immortalized in photographs and film demonstrated the power of sport
11:53to bridge divides and remains one of the most enduring images
11:56of post-apartheid healing and nation-building.
11:59There it is. Francois Pinar and Nelson Mandela is cheering along with the whole of the stadium.
12:11A sea of flags. Wonderful moment for the whole of South Africa.
12:16Number 16, Kirk Gibson's home run.
12:18Sacks waiting on deck, but the game right now is at the plate.
12:32Kirk Gibson, a star player on the Los Angeles Dodgers,
12:35had injured both of his legs in the NLCS and was not expected to play in the World Series.
12:39But facing the dominant Oakland Athletics and their intimidating closer, Dennis Eckersley,
12:44Gibson limped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth as a pinch hitter.
12:47With the Dodgers facing two outs and down 4-3,
12:50Gibson worked a full count, then crushed a walk-off home run, winning the game 5-4.
12:54It was like something out of a movie. It was so beautiful.
12:57Gibson's dramatic, fist-pumping trot around the bases became an instantly iconic sports image.
13:02And in 1995, one poll named this home run the greatest moment in LA sports history.
13:08In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.
13:15Number 15, The Immaculate Reception.
13:27It's rare that a play is considered both the most iconic and the most controversial in a sports history.
13:33The Immaculate Reception is that play.
13:35It happened during the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff between the Steelers and the Raiders.
13:39The Steelers trailed 7-6 with just 22 seconds left.
13:42Quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a desperate pass toward John Fuqua,
13:46and the ball ricocheted before rookie fullback Franco Harris scooped it inches from the turf and ran it in for
13:52a touchdown.
13:53The Steelers won 13-7, marking their first ever playoff victory.
13:57The play was regarded as being highly improbable,
14:00stirred enormous controversy over whether it was legal, and launched Pittsburgh's dynasty.
14:04Both NFL Films and the NFL Network have since named it the greatest play in football history.
14:09It's out there in the Pittsburgh airport. You've both probably seen this a thousand times.
14:14It's in the main terminal. There's two huge statues.
14:17One is of George Washington.
14:19The other one is of Franco Harris.
14:23Everybody from Pittsburgh's like, oh yeah, that's normal. Let's go catch our flight.
14:27Number 14, Phil Taylor's 2-9 dart finishes.
14:30147 the shot then for a 9 dart finish from Phillip Taylor. Hold your breath.
14:35Yeah!
14:36It's level 17.
14:39Yeah!
14:39Double 18 for a moment of history.
14:43He did it! He did it!
14:46He's a 9 darter!
14:48Darts is often considered just a pub game, but it can stir some incredible drama on the professional stage.
14:53A 9 darter is the perfect leg of darts, the rarest and most prestigious feat that a player can accomplish.
14:59Hitting one on live television is career-defining.
15:01Hitting two in the same match was considered unthinkable, until Phil Taylor did it.
15:05Taylor accomplished this unprecedented feat in the final of the 2010 Premier League,
15:10showcasing his unmatched precision, mental strength, and sheer dominance during his peak.
15:14It instantly became one of darts' most replayed and celebrated moments,
15:18cementing Taylor's reputation as the sport's GOAT.
15:21Even years later, it stands as a benchmark of excellence,
15:23and a symbol of what's possible when skill meets composure.
15:26Double 12!
15:28Game show!
15:30Dave, let me say it!
15:32Because I'm gobsmacked!
15:33I am gobsmacked!
15:35Say it, Dave!
15:36You are present in a moment of the greatest sporting history,
15:41sadly, in fact, two non-dartists in one night from Phil Taylor.
15:46Tell your grandchildren about that!
15:48Number 13, Bobby Orr's game-winning goal.
15:50Ask 100 hockey fans, what's the most famous goal in NHL history?
15:55And 99 of them will say this.
15:57Even if you know nothing about hockey,
15:58you've probably seen that iconic image of Bobby Orr flying through the air,
16:02his arm completely outstretched as he gapes in celebration.
16:05It's not only one of the most iconic photos in hockey, but in all of sport.
16:08Orr, scoring just 40 seconds into overtime against the St. Louis Blues,
16:12Orr took a pass from Derek Sanderson and slipped the puck past goalie Glenn Hall,
16:16cementing Boston's first Stanley Cup in 29 years.
16:18As he scored, Orr was tripped by Blues defenseman Noel Picard,
16:23sending him completely horizontal with the ice.
16:25A moment that was captured on film by photographer Ray Lussier
16:28and immortalized in the annals of sporting history.
16:31I can still remember the morning after,
16:34I went to the hotel to have breakfast with my father,
16:36and he had the record in America, and in the centerfold,
16:40they had the photo of the overtime goal flying through the air,
16:43and that's the first time I'd seen the photo.
16:45Number 12, Leicester City wins the Premier League.
16:48Leicester are champions!
16:50Leicester City are champions of the Premier League!
16:54The greatest story ever told has its happy ending!
16:58Bookmakers gave Leicester City 5,000 to 1 odds of winning the 24th Premier League.
17:04Here are some of the things that were jokingly considered more likely to happen.
17:07Kim Kardashian becoming president,
17:09the Loch Ness Monster being discovered,
17:11Elvis Presley being found alive and in hiding.
17:13But with a modest budget, a relatively unknown manager,
17:16and players deemed journeymen or lower-tiered prospects,
17:19Leicester overcame England's richest and most powerful clubs to win the league.
17:23It was their first title in the team's 132-year history,
17:26and stars like Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, and N'Golo Kante became household names.
17:31The triumph resonated far beyond England and became a global phenomenon,
17:36showing that in a sport dominated by money and elite squads,
17:38a small club could still dream.
17:40Illogically, humbly, charmingly, life-affirmingly, gloriously.
17:49In 2016, Leicester City are the champions of England.
17:55Number 11, Diego Maradona at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
17:59I go out shouting goal and I look behind me to see whether the referee took the bait.
18:05And he had.
18:06So that was it.
18:08Come on, come on, it was a goal.
18:09In the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and England,
18:13Diego Maradona delivered two of soccer's most famous goals within mere minutes of each other.
18:17The first was the infamous hand-of-God goal,
18:20which saw Maradona using his hand to punch the ball into the English neck,
18:24an act of blatant illegality that went unnoticed by officials.
18:27Controversy and debate over the goal has raged for decades.
18:30And just four minutes later, he scored the goal of the century,
18:33dribbling from his own half past five English players,
18:35including goalkeeper Peter Shilton, before slotting the ball home.
18:38Together, these two goals, one embodying cunning and opportunism,
18:42the other pure genius, cemented Maradona's legend in the sport's long history.
18:46Four minutes after his hugely controversial opener,
18:49Diego Maradona picked the ball up in midfield,
18:51and with 11 touches in 11 seconds,
18:54cemented his status as one of the game's all-time greats.
18:58Number 10, The Miracle on Ice.
19:00I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have.
19:06Screw them.
19:07So, this is your time.
19:12Now go out there and take it.
19:13When the 1980 Winter Olympics rolled around,
19:15the Soviet Union was a dominant force in hockey,
19:18having won nearly every major international tournament for two decades.
19:21They were composed of experienced professionals,
19:23while the American team consisted mostly of young amateur college players.
19:27But against all odds, the U.S. beat the Soviet Union 4-3 and would go on to win the
19:31gold medal.
19:32Their victory represented a triumph of underdogs over a seemingly unbeatable opponent.
19:36But beyond the athletic achievement,
19:38the game carried enormous symbolic weight amid the lingering Cold War tensions of the time.
19:42And the dramatic nature of the win,
19:44sealed by the Americans' determined defense and a famous call from Al Michaels,
19:48cemented its place in sporting history.
20:02Number 9, 7-1.
20:04It's all over now.
20:06It really is all over for Brazil.
20:13Just say the number 7-1 and people immediately know what you're talking about.
20:17This was a surreal collapse by Brazil who lost to Germany 7-1 in the 2014 FIFA semi-final.
20:23This is embarrassing enough on the best of days,
20:26but it was made even worse by the fact that Brazil was hosting the tournament.
20:29Germany capitalized mercilessly, scoring five goals in the first 29 minutes,
20:34an unprecedented feat at this level of professional soccer.
20:37For Brazilians, it was a national trauma,
20:39and clips of fans crying in the stands quickly went viral.
20:41For Germany, it was a display of ruthless efficiency.
20:44And for neutral viewers, it was one of the most entertaining,
20:47albeit most lopsided matches in the history of the sport.
20:49They might have number 7 here now.
20:52They have got 7.
20:53It's hammered in.
20:55An absolutely terrific strike from Schürrle,
20:58who has his second in a matter of minutes.
21:01And this embarrassment for Brazil is more acute by the minute.
21:06Number 8, England wins the 1966 World Cup.
21:08And here comes Hurst.
21:10He's got some people who are on the pitch.
21:12They think it's all over.
21:14It is down.
21:15The 1966 iteration of the World Cup remains England's only triumph in the tournament.
21:19Achieved on home soil in front of 97,000 people at Wembley Stadium.
21:23The final saw England defeat West Germany 4-2 after extra time,
21:27with Jeff Hurst's famous hat trick being the only one ever in a men's World Cup final.
21:31The match produced a number of enduring moments,
21:34including Hurst's controversial crossbar goal,
21:36and symbolized a high point in English football,
21:38blending sporting achievement with national pride during the swinging 60s.
21:42The 66 English team became legends,
21:44and the victory has since been woven into the country's long sporting identity.
21:48enjoyed and celebrated for decades on end.
22:06Number 7, Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier.
22:09Hey, Jackie.
22:10Jackie, you think you can make it with these white boys?
22:13Uh, I had no problems with white men in the service, so, uh, at UCLA.
22:18Yeah, what you gonna do if one of these pictures throws through your head?
22:20Yeah.
22:21Yeah, Jackie.
22:22Yeah.
22:26I'll duck.
22:27In 1947, Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first black man to play
22:32Major League Baseball in the modern era.
22:34Despite being the nation's pastime, baseball was harshly divided at the time,
22:37with black players relegated to the Negro Leagues.
22:40Yes, that was a real thing.
22:41Dodgers executive Branch Rickey chose Robinson not only for his incredible talent,
22:45but for his courage to endure racial abuse.
22:48Robinson faced fierce hostility from fans, opposing players, and even some of his own teammates.
22:52But despite the hostility, Robinson excelled, winning Rookie of the Year and later MVP.
22:57His debut shattered the sports color barrier, paving the way for integration in baseball,
23:02and influencing the broader civil rights movement in the decades that followed.
23:05I don't care if they like me.
23:08I didn't come here to make friends.
23:12I don't even care if they respect me.
23:14I know who I am.
23:18I've got enough respect for myself.
23:19Number 6. Tiger Woods Wins the 2019 Masters
23:23How many people did you run into today, Nick?
23:25I know it was early, but there were so many here when we arrived at Sun Up who were saying,
23:31this is going to be a day of history.
23:33Once the dominant force in golf, Tiger Woods had endured over a decade of struggles,
23:38including career-threatening back injuries, multiple surgeries, and personal scandals.
23:42Entering Augusta in 2019, Woods hadn't claimed a major title since 2008.
23:46But against a competitive field, the veteran showed why he's the GOAT,
23:49and seized the lead on the final day to win his fifth green jacket.
23:53The return to glory.
23:58The moment was incredibly emotional, not only for Woods,
24:00but for fans who had followed his long and arduous redemption arc.
24:03And when he embraced his children after the win,
24:06it mirrored the embrace with his father after his 1997 Masters triumph,
24:10bringing his career full circle in a storybook fashion.
24:13You can't help but cry.
24:14I never thought we'd see anything that could rival the hug with his father in 1997.
24:20But we just did.
24:24That would be the greatest scene in golf forever.
24:28Number 5, Lou Gehrig's farewell speech.
24:30For the past two weeks, you've been reading about a bad brag.
24:38Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
24:44If you want to make your stoic father cry, just show him Lou Gehrig's farewell speech.
24:48Once a star baseball player, Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS in June 1939,
24:53and he was just 36 years old.
24:55On July 4th of that year, Gehrig addressed a sold-out Yankee Stadium
24:59in what is now called Baseball's Gettysburg Address.
25:02Despite being a reserved man and not wanting to speak,
25:05Gehrig delivered a beautiful speech about resilience and was visibly emotional throughout.
25:10And the response was just as passionate,
25:12including unending cheers from the crowd and loving hugs from his teammates.
25:16It's a defining example of brotherhood and sportsmanship.
25:19And in a sport filled with head-spinning statistics,
25:22Gehrig's speech endures as a moment of incredible humanity.
25:25When you look around, wouldn't you consider it a privilege
25:31to associate yourself with such a fine-looking man
25:36as if standing in uniform in this ballpark today?
25:41Number 4, The Flu Game.
25:423.30 this morning, Michael Jordan woke up with flu-like symptoms.
25:46He had a stomachache and a headache, and he couldn't go back to sleep.
25:48He threw up all night, and as reported earlier, he missed the shoot-around.
25:52But he was in bed all day and continued to throw up.
25:55If you want to see the type of legendary determination
25:57that separates the great players from the goats,
25:59look no further than The Flu Game,
26:01or Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals between the Bulls and the Jazz.
26:06Battling severe flu-like symptoms, Michael Jordan appeared visibly weak,
26:10sweating heavily and even struggling to stand at times.
26:13But despite his dire condition, Jordan delivered an extraordinary performance,
26:17scoring 38 points and grabbing 7 rebounds to lead the Bulls to a 90-88 victory.
26:22The image of a drained Jordan leaning on Scottie Pippen
26:25became one of the most enduring photos in sports history,
26:28while the game itself came to symbolize resilience and the will to win.
26:32It all solidified Jordan's reputation as the undeniable GOAT.
26:35He knocks down this three, gives him the huge lead,
26:39and then the total exhaustion on the bench.
26:42Michael Jordan, sucking air, got the back massage from Scottie Pippen.
26:48Number three, Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics.
26:51The 100-meter dash is the most important event for Jesse Owens.
26:56If he can win the 100-meter dash and be proclaimed the world's fastest man,
27:00you have etched your place in sports history.
27:04Track and field star Jesse Owens became an enduring national icon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
27:09thanks to his extraordinary athletic achievements and the powerful historical context behind them.
27:15The games were held in Nazi Germany, where Hitler sought to showcase Aryan racial superiority.
27:20Instead, the black Owens won four gold medals,
27:23shattering both world records and Hitler's Nazi propaganda.
27:26His dominance on the world stage directly challenged the racist ideologies of his day,
27:30and resonated far beyond sports,
27:32coming to symbolize the fight against prejudice and oppression.
27:35But even looking on the surface as a feat of sheer athleticism,
27:39what Owens did is simply remarkable,
27:41and he is now regarded as one of the greatest track and field athletes ever.
27:44He blows away the field.
27:46He equals the world record.
27:49He's so electric, and there's this war around him,
27:53and people responded to it, and the crowd responded to it.
27:56As one, starting to chant his name,
28:00you can't help but be awed.
28:03Number two, Usain Bolt's 100 meters records.
28:06The defending champion, one of the all-time greats,
28:09and a man who's transcended the sport of athletics,
28:13thrilling the whole world with his achievements in Beijing.
28:17Three gold medals, three world records,
28:20the one and only Usain Bolt.
28:22In the late 2000s, we witnessed what could be argued as the peak of human athleticism.
28:27Winning the 100 meter race is considered one of the crowning achievements in sports,
28:31representing the pinnacle of what is physically possible,
28:33and Usain Bolt absolutely decimated the competition.
28:37On August 16, 2008, Bolt broke his own world record at the Beijing Olympics,
28:42completing the 100 meter in 9.69 seconds.
28:45Bolt's performance made him an international star,
28:48and his name quickly became synonymous with the art of track and field.
28:51Exactly one year later, he broke his own record yet again,
28:55scoring a time of 9.58 seconds at the world championships.
28:58The record has stood ever since, and will likely stand well into the future.
29:03He's done it again!
29:04A year later, rewriting the world record again!
29:10That is the most incredible piece of sprinting the world has ever seen!
29:16Number 1. The Thrilla in Manila
29:26Fought in sweltering heat in the Philippines,
29:29The Thrilla in Manila was the climactic third bout between boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
29:35The fight pushed both men to their physical and mental limits,
29:38with Ali describing it as the closest he ever came to dying.
29:41But the fight's drama also went far beyond the ring, embodying political, cultural, and personal tensions,
29:47with Ali's loud anti-establishment persona clashing against Frazier's quiet toughness.
29:52The brutal back-and-forth was studiously watched around the world,
29:55and ended when Frazier's corners stopped the fight after the 14th round.
29:59Now considered one of the greatest sporting events ever,
30:02the fight combined unparalleled athletic skill,
30:05fierce emotional intensity,
30:07and worldwide cultural significance.
30:09This is what sports are all about.
30:11We're trying to get in here,
30:13to talk to Ali,
30:15who has retained his title,
30:17and I think he needs a little air,
30:20because this has to have been one of the most bruising
30:23heavyweight championships of all time.
30:25But what do you personally consider to be the greatest sporting moment of all time?
30:29Let us know in the comments below.
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