Famous Athletes Quiz
From King James to the Great One: can you name 20 of the greatest athletes ever?
Which basketball superstar is nicknamed "King James"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
LeBron James
LeBron James picked up the nickname 'King James' as a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, and it stuck through four NBA titles with three different franchises.
In February 2023 he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading regular season scorer.
Which tennis legend won 23 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles between 1999 and 2017, the most by any player, man or woman, since the Open Era began in 1968.
Her final major came at the 2017 Australian Open, which she won while about eight weeks pregnant with her daughter Olympia.
Which footballer is widely known by the nickname "CR7"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Cristiano Ronaldo
CR7 combines Cristiano Ronaldo's initials with the number 7 shirt he made famous at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal.
Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men's international soccer, with more than 130 goals for Portugal.
Who holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals of all time?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps won 23 Olympic gold medals across four Games from 2004 to 2016, more than double the total of any other Olympian in any sport.
His 28 Olympic medals in total are also a record, and eight of his golds came at a single Games in Beijing in 2008.
Which sprinter is known as the fastest man in history?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt set the 100 meter world record of 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, and no other sprinter has come within a tenth of a second since.
Bolt also holds the 200 meter record at 19.19 seconds and won the sprint double at three straight Olympics from 2008 to 2016.
Which golfer is famous for wearing red on Sundays?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods has worn a red shirt on the final day of tournaments throughout his career, a tradition his mother started because she believed red was his power color.
Woods has won 15 major championships, second only to Jack Nicklaus's 18, including the 2019 Masters at age 43.
Which gymnast is the most decorated in World Championship history?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles has won 30 World Championship medals, 23 of them gold, more than any gymnast in history, male or female.
Five skills across vault, beam and floor carry her name in the official code of points because she was the first to land them in competition.
Which footballer led Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring twice in the final against France before a penalty shootout win.
He was named the tournament's best player, the first man to win the Golden Ball at two World Cups after also taking it in 2014.
Which boxer retired with a perfect professional record of 50 wins and no losses?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. reached 50 wins without a defeat by beating Conor McGregor in 2017, passing Rocky Marciano's famous mark of 49 unbeaten fights.
Nicknamed 'Money', he topped the Forbes list of highest-paid athletes more than once thanks to pay-per-view fights against Pacquiao and McGregor.
Which F1 driver has won a record-tying 7 world championships?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton won seven Formula 1 world titles, one with McLaren in 2008 and six with Mercedes, matching Michael Schumacher's record.
He holds the records for most Grand Prix wins and pole positions, and moved to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
Which baseball legend is known as "The Sultan of Swat"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth earned 'The Sultan of Swat' with the New York Yankees in the 1920s, when his 60 home runs in 1927 were more than most entire teams managed.
Ruth began as a star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, whose sale of him to the Yankees in 1919 supposedly started the 'Curse of the Bambino'.
Which women's footballer won the first-ever Ballon d'Or Féminin?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Ada Hegerberg
Norway's Ada Hegerberg won the first Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2018 after firing Lyon to a third straight Women's Champions League title.
She is the all-time top scorer in the Women's Champions League, and famously sat out the 2019 World Cup in a dispute over equal treatment.
Which NBA star played 20 seasons with the Lakers wearing No. 8 and 24?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant spent all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships, and the team retired both his No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys.
He scored 81 points against Toronto in January 2006, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100.
Who became the first person to run a marathon under two hours (unofficial)?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Eliud Kipchoge
Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna in October 2019, but rotating pacers and a laser-guided car meant it could not count as a record.
His official world record of 2:01:09 from Berlin 2022 was later beaten by Kelvin Kiptum, who ran 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023.
Which NHL player is known as "The Great One"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky is 'The Great One' because he retired in 1999 holding 61 NHL records, including 2,857 career points, a mark nobody has come close to.
His single-season record of 92 goals was set in 1982, and Alex Ovechkin finally passed his career total of 894 goals in April 2025.
Which American snowboarder won Olympic halfpipe gold at age 17 in 2018?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Chloe Kim
Chloe Kim was 17 when she won halfpipe gold at PyeongChang 2018 with a near-perfect score of 98.25, the youngest woman ever to win Olympic snowboarding gold.
She defended the title in Beijing in 2022 and took silver behind South Korea's Gaon Choi at Milano Cortina in 2026.
Who achieved the Calendar Golden Slam in 1988?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in Seoul in 1988, the only player ever to complete a Golden Slam in a single calendar year.
Graf finished with 22 major singles titles and spent a record 377 weeks at world No. 1.
Which NFL quarterback has won seven Super Bowls?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and a seventh with Tampa Bay in February 2021, more than any single NFL franchise has managed.
He was famously picked 199th in the 2000 NFL Draft and played until age 45, retiring after the 2022 season.
Which Brazilian icon won three World Cups and scored over 1,000 goals?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Pelé
Pelé won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to lift it three times, and claimed more than 1,280 career goals including friendlies.
He scored twice in the 1958 final at just 17 and later helped popularize soccer in the United States with the New York Cosmos.
Which WNBA point guard won four championships with the Seattle Storm before retiring in 2022?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Sue Bird
Sue Bird won WNBA titles with Seattle in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020, becoming the first player to win championships in three different decades.
She also collected five Olympic gold medals with Team USA, from Athens 2004 through Tokyo 2020.
Your results
More to explore
All Sports quizzes →About the Famous Athletes Quiz
Usain Bolt covered 100 meters in 9.58 seconds. Michael Phelps swam his way to 23 Olympic gold medals. Serena Williams collected 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and Tom Brady lifted seven Super Bowl trophies. The very best athletes do not just win, they rewrite what people believe is possible, and their nicknames, jersey numbers and records become part of everyday conversation.
These 20 questions range across basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, boxing, gymnastics, motorsport, hockey and the Olympics. Some are warm-ups any casual fan will get. Others reward the people who remember a jersey number, a nickname or a record-setting year. It suits pub quiz teams, sports-mad families and anyone who wants a quick check on how well they know the legends of the last 60 years.
You will find 20 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Medium. Most people finish in about 7 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 20 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
How hard is the Famous Athletes Quiz?
It is a medium quiz. About half the questions are nicknames and famous records most fans know, while the rest ask for specific years, counts and firsts.
Which sports are covered?
Basketball, soccer, tennis, swimming, sprinting, golf, gymnastics, boxing, Formula 1, baseball, hockey, snowboarding, marathon running, American football and the WNBA.
Are the records up to date?
Yes. Every record and count was checked in September 2026, and questions that had gone out of date were rewritten.
Answer key: all 20 questions with explanations
- Which basketball superstar is nicknamed "King James"?
LeBron James LeBron James picked up the nickname 'King James' as a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, and it stuck through four NBA titles with three different franchises. In February 2023 he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading regular season scorer. - Which tennis legend won 23 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era?
Serena Williams Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles between 1999 and 2017, the most by any player, man or woman, since the Open Era began in 1968. Her final major came at the 2017 Australian Open, which she won while about eight weeks pregnant with her daughter Olympia. - Which footballer is widely known by the nickname "CR7"?
Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 combines Cristiano Ronaldo's initials with the number 7 shirt he made famous at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal. Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men's international soccer, with more than 130 goals for Portugal. - Who holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals of all time?
Michael Phelps Michael Phelps won 23 Olympic gold medals across four Games from 2004 to 2016, more than double the total of any other Olympian in any sport. His 28 Olympic medals in total are also a record, and eight of his golds came at a single Games in Beijing in 2008. - Which sprinter is known as the fastest man in history?
Usain Bolt Usain Bolt set the 100 meter world record of 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, and no other sprinter has come within a tenth of a second since. Bolt also holds the 200 meter record at 19.19 seconds and won the sprint double at three straight Olympics from 2008 to 2016. - Which golfer is famous for wearing red on Sundays?
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods has worn a red shirt on the final day of tournaments throughout his career, a tradition his mother started because she believed red was his power color. Woods has won 15 major championships, second only to Jack Nicklaus's 18, including the 2019 Masters at age 43. - Which gymnast is the most decorated in World Championship history?
Simone Biles Simone Biles has won 30 World Championship medals, 23 of them gold, more than any gymnast in history, male or female. Five skills across vault, beam and floor carry her name in the official code of points because she was the first to land them in competition. - Which footballer led Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup?
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring twice in the final against France before a penalty shootout win. He was named the tournament's best player, the first man to win the Golden Ball at two World Cups after also taking it in 2014. - Which boxer retired with a perfect professional record of 50 wins and no losses?
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd Mayweather Jr. reached 50 wins without a defeat by beating Conor McGregor in 2017, passing Rocky Marciano's famous mark of 49 unbeaten fights. Nicknamed 'Money', he topped the Forbes list of highest-paid athletes more than once thanks to pay-per-view fights against Pacquiao and McGregor. - Which F1 driver has won a record-tying 7 world championships?
Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton won seven Formula 1 world titles, one with McLaren in 2008 and six with Mercedes, matching Michael Schumacher's record. He holds the records for most Grand Prix wins and pole positions, and moved to Ferrari for the 2025 season. - Which baseball legend is known as "The Sultan of Swat"?
Babe Ruth Babe Ruth earned 'The Sultan of Swat' with the New York Yankees in the 1920s, when his 60 home runs in 1927 were more than most entire teams managed. Ruth began as a star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, whose sale of him to the Yankees in 1919 supposedly started the 'Curse of the Bambino'. - Which women's footballer won the first-ever Ballon d'Or Féminin?
Ada Hegerberg Norway's Ada Hegerberg won the first Ballon d'Or Féminin in 2018 after firing Lyon to a third straight Women's Champions League title. She is the all-time top scorer in the Women's Champions League, and famously sat out the 2019 World Cup in a dispute over equal treatment. - Which NBA star played 20 seasons with the Lakers wearing No. 8 and 24?
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant spent all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships, and the team retired both his No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys. He scored 81 points against Toronto in January 2006, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100. - Who became the first person to run a marathon under two hours (unofficial)?
Eliud Kipchoge Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna in October 2019, but rotating pacers and a laser-guided car meant it could not count as a record. His official world record of 2:01:09 from Berlin 2022 was later beaten by Kelvin Kiptum, who ran 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023. - Which NHL player is known as "The Great One"?
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Gretzky is 'The Great One' because he retired in 1999 holding 61 NHL records, including 2,857 career points, a mark nobody has come close to. His single-season record of 92 goals was set in 1982, and Alex Ovechkin finally passed his career total of 894 goals in April 2025. - Which American snowboarder won Olympic halfpipe gold at age 17 in 2018?
Chloe Kim Chloe Kim was 17 when she won halfpipe gold at PyeongChang 2018 with a near-perfect score of 98.25, the youngest woman ever to win Olympic snowboarding gold. She defended the title in Beijing in 2022 and took silver behind South Korea's Gaon Choi at Milano Cortina in 2026. - Who achieved the Calendar Golden Slam in 1988?
Steffi Graf Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in Seoul in 1988, the only player ever to complete a Golden Slam in a single calendar year. Graf finished with 22 major singles titles and spent a record 377 weeks at world No. 1. - Which NFL quarterback has won seven Super Bowls?
Tom Brady Tom Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and a seventh with Tampa Bay in February 2021, more than any single NFL franchise has managed. He was famously picked 199th in the 2000 NFL Draft and played until age 45, retiring after the 2022 season. - Which Brazilian icon won three World Cups and scored over 1,000 goals?
Pelé Pelé won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to lift it three times, and claimed more than 1,280 career goals including friendlies. He scored twice in the 1958 final at just 17 and later helped popularize soccer in the United States with the New York Cosmos. - Which WNBA point guard won four championships with the Seattle Storm before retiring in 2022?
Sue Bird Sue Bird won WNBA titles with Seattle in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020, becoming the first player to win championships in three different decades. She also collected five Olympic gold medals with Team USA, from Athens 2004 through Tokyo 2020.
Browse other categories
Every category has its own quizzes, each with instant explanations.