England Lionesses winning 2022 Euros named the greatest sporting moment of all time
Other highlights in sports history include Usain Bolt’s 100m gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics and Roger Bannister’s 1954 four-minute mile break
Sports fans have voted for the greatest sporting moments of all time – with the England Lionesses’ victory at Euro 2022 topping the list.
The top 30 moments date back to the first Olympic Games in ancient Greece in 776 BC. to the present day, with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar also making the list.
More than a third of its greatest moments have come in the last decade – with Leicester City winning the Premier League title in 2016, Usain Bolt’s 100m gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics and England’s victory over New Zealand to win his first cricket World championship to win 2019, all in the top five.
Further back in the archives, Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile barrier in 1954 and Muhammed Ali’s “Rumble in the Jungle” victory over George Foreman in 1974 both made the top 10 in sports history.
And so did Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal and “Goal of the Century” in the 1986 World Championship final, along with Dennis Taylor beating Steve Davis at the 1985 World Snooker Championship.
The survey of 2,000 sports fans also found that 72% would have liked to have witnessed some of these big moments in person.
The study was commissioned by Visit Anaheim, which works to promote tourism in Anaheim, California as it sponsors both the Los Angeles Angels’ spring training and their minor league baseball team in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Spokesman Jay Burress said: “Most sports fans know the ups and downs that come with supporting a team or an athlete.
“We wanted to see which moments are the most memorable, but also how far fans are willing to go to see their favorite competition live and in person.
“There are so many great sporting moments to choose from but these have clearly stuck with people and made an impact.
“It’s amazing how sport as a whole can really bring people together and I’m sure there will be many great sporting moments in the future.”
And while they cannot guarantee a moment as exciting as those featured on the list, 22% of respondents have planned a trip in 2023 to see a specific sporting event.
Football was the most popular sport (81%), followed by tennis (33%) and cricket (19%).
And 66% have watched their favorite team play in person, with a third having traveled abroad for a sports match – willing to travel an average of five hours and 36 minutes and spend £420.60.
It was also found that two-thirds have a favorite team, with 23% of them traveling spontaneously to see them play.
And 93% will continue to support their favorite team whether they win or lose.
Of those polled via OnePoll, 23% have gone so far as to plan a vacation when and where their favorite team plays.
Jay Burress added: “There’s nothing quite like seeing your favorite team play in person and sport is a great thing to plan a vacation for.
“However, it’s good to be able to go to a place where there is something for the whole family to enjoy and where there are a variety of activities nearby, giving you options once you’ve cheered on your team at the stadium.
“Sport is a big part of people’s lives, and so are holidays – so combining the two could make a great trip.
“Who knows – the next time you see your favorite team, it could be one of the greatest sporting moments of all time.”
TOP 30 GREATEST MOMENTS IN SPORTS HISTORY:
- England Lionesses Euro Win (2022)
- Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-0 in Champions League final (2005)
- Usain Bolt wins gold in the 100m at the London Olympics (2012)
- Leicester City’s Premier League title win (2016)
- England’s cricket team beats New Zealand to win their first World Cup (2019)
- Roger Bannister breaks the four-minute mile barrier (1954)
- Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” goals in the World Cup final (1986)
- Muhammed Ali’s “Rumble in the Jungle” victory over George Foreman (1974)
- Dennis Taylor defeats Steve Davis for the World Snooker Championship (1985)
- Mbappe’s comeback hat-trick in World Cup final (2022)
- David Beckham’s starter from the center line against Wimbledon (1996)
- Unseeded Boris Becker wins Wimbledon at just 17 (1985)
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s overhead kick in the Champions League quarter-finals (2018)
- Roger Federer wins his 20th Grand Slam title (2018)
- Serena Williams won her first Wimbledon title (2002)
- Seven world championship titles by Michael Schumacher in Formula 1 (2004)
- Pelé scored his 1000th career goal (1969)
- Jenson Button and Brawn GP win the Formula 1 World Championship (2009)
- The World Cup in Qatar (2022)
- Goran Ivanišević wins Wimbledon as a wildcard participant (2001)
- Michael Phelps becomes the most decorated Olympian with 22 medals (2008).
- The First Olympic Games in Ancient Greece (776 BC)
- Greece wins Euro 2004 (2004)
- Tiger Woods wins the Masters, his first major win in over a decade (2019)
- Denmark becomes European Football Champion (1992)
- Japan beats South Africa at Rugby World Cup (2015)
- Wigan Athletics FA Cup win (2013)
- Wimbledon’s FA Cup winning team (1988)
- The “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics
- Andy Ruiz Jnr. Knock Out Anthony Joshua (2019)