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For me, Lionel Messi’s performance against Manchester United in the 2011 Champions League final is the greatest sporting performance of all time because it was the purest and most complete demonstration of footballing genius. Watching that game, it seemed like Messi was playing in a different dimension to everyone else on the pitch.

First of all, the context makes it all the more special: it was a Champions League final, the ultimate stage for club football, against one of the world’s best teams, coached by Sir Alex Ferguson and featuring players like Rooney, Giggs and Ferdinand. This was no ordinary game; it was a battle between two giants, and Messi was not only ready, he dominated in every aspect.

What makes this performance legendary was his ability to influence the game in every area of ​​the pitch. Messi didn’t just score (and what a goal! A right-footed shot from outside the area that left Van der Sar immobile), he orchestrated the pace of the game with his dribbling, passing and vision. Every time he touched the ball, Manchester United seemed helpless, unable to stop him without committing fouls or retreating.

I remember how Messi combined with Xavi and Iniesta, creating triangles and spaces that no one seemed to see except him. It was virtually impossible to take the ball away from him. His agility, his speed of movement and his ability to maintain control under pressure were unreal. It was like watching an artist at work, painting the game with every touch.

But the most impressive thing was the emotional impact of that performance. Messi wasn’t just playing well; he was showing the world that he was the best, at the most important moment. It was as if he had been born for those nights. Watching him, you had the feeling of witnessing something unrepeatable, a level of perfection rarely seen in sport.

For me, that game defined Messi not just as a great footballer, but as a symbol of what it means to be the best in the world. He wasn’t just a player who shone in ordinary moments, but one who rose in extraordinary moments. And that, to me, is what makes his 2011 performance his best ever.

Alex Sinclair's avatar

Great answer failedd! You get a Curator's Pick badge!

R
https://twitter.com/ConcitaReny/status/1878831548088348981

I think that Simone Biles put a lot of srenght and balance in her performance. i particulary love the elegance and the fluidity while she do even very difficult and dangerous exercise. Also she win 8 gold medal in Paris 2024, the most decorated in the history of Olimpics games..

S
https://www.youtube.com/embed/U5Af1jGgYqA?feature=oembed

Roger, 5 times defending champion against Rafael, one of his greatest rivals. They faced each other for five sets of almost 5 hours. Rafael managed to dominate in the end, managing to snatch the title that every statistic gave for granted. Both were good, but Rafael's resistance rewarded him

Kethervir's avatar

Umberto Pelizzari

He has set world records in all freediving disciplines. In particular, the most historical performance was on October 24, 1999. He went 150 meters in variable weight No Limits in freediving! Something that appear closely like unhuman...

Alex Sinclair's avatar

Thanks Kethervir, could you tell us a little more about that particular performance?

Kethervir's avatar

Yes! If you like i can send a couple of videos aswell. Even because this was a lot in television and they show a huge work of preparation with a proper team in very extreme comdition.. he had training under the ice, because the risk of thermal suffer was huge to make this record.. i remember that he show how he did a special meditation tecnique called pranayama to make exercise and push the muscle of the belly all the way close to the organs, the spine and up to ribs. This is a very difficult breath tecnique and he was used to make this exercize under the water. For most of his life he train to develop the diver skills. He also archive 16 mondial record in freediving, 19 minutes and 56 seconds under the water without oxigen. He was the first man to break the wall of 80 meter in costant assect, that is with you pushing yourself, 130 in variable weitght and 150 in variable weight no limits, that is a special practice to use a special weight to go deep with a costant speed. I post the 150 meter record, but i've found more im

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAMbf4fxFjM?feature=oembed

pressive when he, at 80meters push himself like he was in a pool at 1 meter

Alex Sinclair's avatar

Awesome, thank you very much! It's truly impressive, superhuman even!

Shovel's avatar

Usain Bolt's 9.58-second 100m World Record at the 2009 World Championships

The final of the 100m at the 2009 Berlin World Championships is sometimes regarded as the greatest single display of athleticism ever witnessed. Bolt shattered his world record in an astonishing 9.58-second performance that seemed almost out of this world.

But what's more impressive about this performance is not the record time but how he outperformed the competition. In that explosive start, and with the most relaxed appearance of acceleration, Bolt made even his closest rivals look as if they were running in slow motion. The fact that he managed to achieve this without the so-called excessive tailwind is really amazing.

The 2009 run

https://www.youtube.com/embed/HFLuduKmnW0?feature=oembed

Bolt was not a win but a moment that redefined the notion of our thoughts about sprinting. A decade has passed with nobody able to beat his performance; it was a show of power, speed, and technique all mixed into one. The electrifying energy in the stadium and the trademark Bolt celebration after crossing the line made it one of those moments in sports history that was simply unforgettable.

This performance transcended athletics and became a cultural moment. Bolt’s world record run captured the imagination of millions worldwide, inspiring a generation of athletes. It remains a benchmark for human speed and a testament to what can be achieved through dedication, talent, and sheer willpower.

N
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZN3jcfJSJMY?feature=oembed

For me, Diego Maradona, against England in 1986 in the quarter-finals. In this game, Diego Maradona, in addition to scoring the famous The Hand of God, also scored the formidable Goal of the Century. All in the same game.

mypets's avatar

If there's one thing that enchants, it's artistic gymnastics. And Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, at the age of 14, got the first “perfect 10” in Olympic history in artistic gymnastics, that was incredible!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4m2YT-PIkEc?feature=oembed

Y0EMINENCE's avatar
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YYTNkAdDD8?feature=oembed

Tony Hawk's 900 is a skateboarding trick where the skater completes two-and-a-half full rotations (900 degrees) in the air on a skateboard before landing. Tony Hawk was the first to land this trick successfully in competition in 1999.

J
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bmVZfJFCvCo?feature=oembed

Roberto Rivellino, 1970 Rivellino was one of the key pieces of Brazil in the 70s With his brilliant technique and his left leg, he starred in memorable moments such as his performance against Peru in the quarterfinals.

Vivisector's avatar
https://www.youtube.com/embed/T5WSr_jtkFM?feature=oembed

Valentino Rossi is a true Legend in the MotoGp championship. He proof many times this status and one of them could be watched in this video. What a comeback!

F
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jrDacPNWBGA?feature=oembed
  • In the World Series (7 game championship for Major League Baseball), Freddie Freeman had one of the greatest runs of batting performance in World series history.

    • Hit a Home-run in 4/5 games (1 in each of the first 4 games).

    • MLB 1st ever Walk-Off Grand Slam in a World Series

    • Dodgers win 4-1

This home run was just the beginning of his legendary run.

LeoMo's avatar

During the 2022 World Cup, I saw one of the most brilliant performances in history. Mbappe played a magnificent game throughout the match, and even though he didn't win, his performance was historic for the entire world of football. He almost won the World Cup for France on his own merit. This was one of the most remarkable games of the 2022 World Cup.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/t21PIIf5mqk?feature=oembed

yan57436's avatar

People always remember the matches of great attacking stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, but forget about the one who represents the “enemy” of the sport, the goalkeeper. Remember that the apex moment of the sport we love, soccer, is the goal and there we have the goalkeepers to inhibit those moments. With that in mind, what Courtois did in the Champions League final against Liverpool is unimaginable, frightening. It was his day and his moment, and I would venture to say that we will NEVER see another performance of that level from a goalkeeper.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_joIrRpkbwQ?feature=oembed

Henry's avatar

Messi dribbles past the entire opposing team and scores a magnificent goal.

From the very beginning of his career, Lionel Messi showed he would be one of the greatest football players of all time, and one of his most remarkable qualities is his effective dribbling. In this video, we see Messi's full potential in action, dribbling past the entire opposing team from midfield and scoring a spectacular goal for Barcelona.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mMiL4_1Yewg?feature=oembed

CMDR Henckes's avatar
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tA14uRHqqWs?feature=oembed

I'm no a fan of Floyd Mayweather, but I can't deny his perfect performance in the Lightweights categories. With the 50 wins and 0 losses in the professional boxing he retired himself undefeated.

He was fast, strong and accurate with his punches and you can see that in this highlight I shared here. And the best part is how was difficult to his opponents make an hit on he! And this can be seen in the minute 4:20 of this video one of my favourite fights he had, the fight against Ortiz!

JB
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3nbjhpcZ9_g?feature=oembed

Usain Bolt set the world alight with his performance at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Setting both the 100m and 200m World Records and annihilating the existing world records in the process, is my nomination for the greatest sporting performance of all time. From the sporting performance itself, to the charisma and entertainment provided by an athlete at the very pinnacle of his discipline.

Goosebumps.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9_nUliMsnt0?feature=oembed

DU

Like MQC, I nominate Michael Jordan's flu game.

Sure, many have always said that he exaggerated his illness, but regardless of that, you need extraordinary willpower to spend the early hours of that day dealing with vomiting and diarrhea, skip the team warm-ups, and then step onto the court and give it your all in that crucial Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, putting the Bulls on the brink of their fifth championship.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YIzrYcgfOH4?feature=oembed

Original text in Spanish, translated with AI software

MURRRAAAAY's avatar

My pick is Ronaldo, the real Ronaldo, R9, "O fenômeno" against an amazing Alex Ferguson Manchester United Team. Just look at the line-ups of both teams, you just dont see class like this anymore in football. Dare I say it either of these teams would win the Champion's league today no bother. I remember watching this as a kid on free to air ITV (lol even the commentary is soo much better back then), before you had to pay a fortune to watch football and just being blown away by how good Ronaldo was, you could just tell Man U were nervous every time he got near the ball, he was incredible, and this is him after 2 career ending injuries, but no he still showed why he is one of the GOATS and the Old Trafford Crowd gave him a standing ovation when he was subbed off. Incredible stuff. PS the last goal is just magic. Absolutely phenomenal game of football too!

No VAR, No over dramatics, Just quality players playing outstanding football with Passion. The late 90s and early 2000s were just absolute quality!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TeQoylDtO4w?feature=oembed

MQC's avatar

Michael Jordan

Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. the Utah Jazz

https://www.youtube.com/embed/h5b1bUcFaYw?feature=oembed

This game left one of the sporting moments that have undoubtedly gone down in history; Jordan, who was ill with fever, scored 38 points in a precarious state of health, ending up completely dehydrated and having to be helped by Pippen to be able to return to the bench.

In that game he scored:

  • 38 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, a block and three turnovers in 44 minutes and 17 seconds on the court, with 13-27 in field goal attempts and 10-12 in free throws.

Those numbers are incredible, beyond the epic of having played sick and the fact that it was the Finals.

Hunter's avatar

After 9 years in the Real Madrid Football club Cristiano Ronaldo moved to the legendary Italian club Juventus, in 2019's Round of 16 first leg in Madrid the Juventus team lost an important Champion League's match (2-0) against the Atletico Madrid and risked being out of the tournament, CR7 took the responsibility and carried his team in the match back in Juventus home Stadium in Turin Italy for the second leg of round of 16, he got a clean hat trick (3-0) that qualified him and his team mates to the next round , this the Highlights for this match :

https://www.youtube.com/embed/cLfSpFg6Pxg?feature=oembed

OmkaLapka's avatar

Herbert Nitsch set the depth record in the “No Limits” freediving discipline at a competition held in 2007 in Egypt, in the Red Sea. He descended to a depth of 214 meters, which was a record achievement at that time. In this discipline, the athlete uses special equipment, including a rope that descends to great depths, as well as a lift line to return to the surface.

For this dive, Nitsch used a system consisting of an air tank for ascent and additional equipment to help him reach such depths. The dive required incredible physical and psychological preparation. Herbert was fully trained in breathing techniques and conditioned for such extreme conditions.

Achieving the record meant diving to an extraordinary depth, which involved exceptional concentration, endurance, and tolerance to the high pressures at those depths. Returning to the surface is typically the most critical part of such a dive, and for this, Nitsch used a special system for rapid ascent.

Herbert Nitsch gave an interview after setting the 214-meter depth record in 2007. He shared his experience and thoughts about the achievement, which required not only physical strength but also mental endurance.

He noted that preparation for such a dive was extremely intensive, requiring several years of training to prepare both the body and the mind for such extreme conditions. Nitsch mentioned that he used special breathing techniques to maximize oxygen saturation before the dive and also carefully prepared his psycho-emotional state.

After the successful dive, he said that he felt immense relief when he returned to the surface. He admitted that it was a very tense and dangerous test, but also incredibly inspiring. “It was more than just a physical achievement. It was a test of my mind,” Nitsch said. He emphasized the importance of mental preparation, as at great depths, the pressure, cold, and prolonged breath-holding create extreme conditions.

Nitsch also spoke about his desire to show that humans can achieve incredible things if they can overcome their fears and limited beliefs about the potential of the human body. However, despite his pride in the record, he always stressed that freediving is a dangerous sport, and safety must always come first.

This record became a symbol of human willpower and the limits of human potential under extreme conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/IVm3z-QYWzM?feature=oembed

Fras_Shoyo's avatar

Michael Phelps's swimming gold medal victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is among the finest individual sports achievements of all time. Phelps broke the world record and exceeded his opponent by a hair with 50.58 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly contest.
Not only was he very fast and technically, but the very stressful backdrop of the event added to his amazing impression. Phelps nearly lost his gold medal except for his extraordinary mental toughness and ability. Phelps almost lost pace on the penultimate swim, but he persisted and focused to pull off the triumph.
Apart from the finest performance of the Games, this one represented an athlete's mental capacity, physical readiness, and endurance. Phelps finished gathering 8 gold medals in Beijing, a record not broken till today.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/urbvFAAwM2M?feature=oembed

R

Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Spain in the world cup 2018.

As a portuguese, that match was just amazing. In the middle of all that struggle Ronaldo made everything look easy.

Ford James's avatar

Hey Rocha, can you find and embed a clip of his performance in that game to be eligible for a reward?

FirestormGamingTeam's avatar

For me and this gial has always stuck in my head, it is Alan Shearer's goal against Everton, this iconic shot was the best seen at the time, the turn, the slam and the goal, all mixed into one, it was an amazing shot, not luck, he looked, he booted and he scored, dude was a legend.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/fgNObY2nqTY?feature=oembed

L

Ah, this is such a tough question because it depends on the context and the sport! But if I had to pick one individual performance that embodies greatness and legend, I have to mention Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in the NBA.

On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain, playing for the Philadelphia Warriors, scored 100 points in a single game against the New York Knicks. It’s a record that still stands today, almost mythical in stature. Think about it: no one has even surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81 points in 2006, and Chamberlain did it in an era without the three-point line!

What’s even more incredible is that it wasn’t just about the score. He dominated the game with a combination of physical power, skill, and an unrelenting mentality. He was a giant (literally, standing at 7’1”), but his agility and gameplay were extraordinary for his time.

That performance has become a symbol of what is humanly (or almost superhumanly) possible in sports. And even as time goes on, the image of Wilt holding that paper with “100” written on it remains one of the most iconic in sports history.

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