Welcome to the World Cup of Sportspeople! With the Women's Football World Cup in full swing and the Men's World Cup being a resounding success last year, we'll be following on with a tournament, not of countries, but of the sports-men and women themselves. This contest is designed to select the greatest sportspeople from each continent through a number of rounds, selecting the best of the best, and pitting them together to show who we really think is the best sportsperson of them all!

This is the Nominations stage for Europe. To make it easy for you all (and so you don't have to read a really long paragraph), here are the rules:

- You can nominate any sportsperson, active, retired or dead, provided that their most recent appearance nationally was from a country in Europe (regardless of where they were born). If they have never competed on a national level, their nationality will simply be that which associate themselves with.

- The countries which count as Europe here will be the same as the countries which take part in the European qualifiers for the Football World Cup. The full list is shown in the second post, however notably Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Georgia and Israel all count as Europe here.

- You can nominate any number of sportspeople, regardless of whether they have already been nominated. Every nominated sportsperson will advance through to the next round, however the TWO sportspeople with the most nominations will advance directly through to the Finals without being entered into the continental qualifiers.

Nominations close on Sunday 7th June at 23:59 (but of youre a little bit late I'll probably still count them). Get nominating!

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES:

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales

 

(just a final reminder that any number of athletes can be nominated per country, including none!)

Roger Federer (Switzerland - Tennis)

Bjorn Borg (Sweden - Tennis)

Novak Djokovic (Serbia - Tennis)

Rafael Nadal (Spain - Tennis)

Steffi Graf (Germany - Tennis)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal - Soccer)

Bobby Charlton - (England- Soccer)

Zinedine Zidane (France - Soccer)

Michael Schumacher (Germany - Formula One)

Bobby Moore (England - Soccer)

Lothar Matthaus (Germany - Soccer)

Dennis Bergkamp (Germany - Soccer)

Raul (Spain - Soccer)

Alexander Ovechkin (Russia - Ice Hockey)

Boris Becker (Germany - Tennis)

Sebastian Vettel (Germany - Formula One)

David Beckham (England - Soccer)

Kim Clijsters (Belgium - Tennis)

Maria Sharapova (Russia - Tennis)

Stefan Edberg (Sweden - Tennis)

Sergei Federov (Russia - Ice Hockey)

Henrik Sedin (Sweden - Ice Hockey)

Iker Casillas (Spain - Soccer)

Manuel Neuer (Germany - Soccer)

Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic - Tennis)

Hermann Maier (Austria - Skiing)

Xavi (Spain - Soccer)

Monica Seles (Yugoslavia - Tennis)

Andres Ineista (Spain - Soccer)

Luka Modric (Croatia - Soccer)

Wayne Rooney (England - Soccer)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden - Soccer)

Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic - Soccer)

Annika Sorenstam (Sweden - Golf)

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland - Golf)

Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany - Soccer)

Niklas Lindstrom (Sweden - Ice Hockey)

Martina Hingis (Switzerland - Tennis)

Fernando Alonso (Spain - Formula One)

Alain Prost (France - Formula One)

Niki Lauda (Austria - Formula One)

Nigel Mansell (England - Formula One)

Miroslav Klose (Germany - Soccer)

Dirk Nowitski (Germany - Basketball)

Tony Parker (France - Basketball)

Alexander Popov (Russia - Swimming)

Nadia Comaneci (Romania - Gymnastics)

Katarina Witt (Germany - Figure Skating)

Roberto Baggio (Italy - Soccer)

Thierry Henry (France - Soccer)

Eric Cantona (France - Soccer)

Gianliugi Buffon (Italy - Soccer)

Andrea Pirlo (Italy - Soccer)

Lennox Lewis (England - Boxing)

Paolo Maldini (Italy - Soccer)

Justine Henin (Belgium - Tennis)

Robin van Persie (Netherlands - Soccer)

Alan Shearer (England - Soccer)

Andy Murray (England - Tennis)

Lewis Hamilton (England - Formula One)

Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine - Boxing)

Petr Cech (Czech Republic - Soccer)

Gareth Bale (Wales - Soccer)

Pau Gasol (Spain - Basketball)

 

 

My nominations:

 

Novak Djokovic (Serbia - Tennis)

Andy Murray (Scotland - Tennis)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal - Football)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland - Football)

Sergio Ramos (Spain - Football)

Luka Modric (Croatia - Football)

Eden Hazard (Belgium - Football)

Eusebio (Portugal - Football)

Johann Cruyff (Netherlands - Football)

Franz Beckenbauer (Germany - Football)

Bobby Moore (England - Football)

Bobby Charlton (England - Football)

Thierry Henry (France - Football)

Chris Froome (England - Cycling)

Bradley Wiggins (England - Cycling)

Vincenzo Nibali (Italy - Cycling)

Bernard Hinault (France - Cycling)

Eddy Mercx (Belgium - Cycling)

Gino Bartali (Italy - Cycling)

Fausto Coppi (Italy - Cycling)

Sarah Sjöström (Sweden - Swimming)

Adam Peaty (England - Swimming)

Mo Farah (England - Athletics)

Greg Rutherford (England - Athletics)

Jess Ennis-Hill (England - Athletics)

Marcel Hirscher (Austria - Skiing)

Filip Flisar (Slovenia - Skiing)

Beryl Burton (England - Cycling)

Miguel Indurain (Spain - Cycling)

Jacques Anquetil (France - Cycling)

Novak Djokovic (Serbia - Tennis)

Andy Murray (Scotland - Tennis)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal - Football)

Eusebio (Portugal - Football)

Johann Cruyff (Netherlands - Football)

Franz Beckenbauer (Germany - Football)

Bobby Charlton (England - Football)

Kelly Homes (Great Britain - Athletics)

Ferenc Pushkas (Hungary - Football)

Paul Scholes (England - Football)

George Best - N Ireland - Football)

Dennis Law (Scotland - Football)

Marco Van Basten (Netherlands - Football)

Peter Schmeichel (Denmark - Football)

Alberto Aacari (Italy - Motor Racing)

Jim Clark (Great Britain - Motor Racing)

Jackie Stewart (Great Britain - Motor Racing)

Stirling Moss (Great Britain - Motor Racing)

Graham Hill (Great Britain - Motor Racing)

Niki Lauda (Austria - Motor Racing)

Ronnie peterson (Sweden - Motor Racing)

Ian Botham (England - Cricket)

James Hunt (Great Britain - Motor Racing)

Victoria Pendleton (GB - Cycling)

Steve Redgrave (GB - Rowing)

Paula Radcliffe (GB - Athletics)

Rebecca Adlington (GB - Swimming)

Chris Hoy (GB - Cycling)

Daario Franchitti (GB - Motor Racing)

Dan Wheldon (GB - Motor Racing)

Mika Hakkinen - (Finland - Motor Racing)

Eddy Mercx (Belgium - Cycling)

Mo Farah (England - Athletics)

Jess Ennis-Hill (England - Athletics)

Roger Federer (Switzerland - Tennis)

Bjorn Borg (Sweden - Tennis)

Rafael Nadal (Spain - Tennis)

Steffi Graf (Germany - Tennis)

Bobby Charlton - (England- Football)

Zinedine Zidane (France - Football)

Michael Schumacher (Germany - Formula One)

Bobby Moore (England - Soccer)

Lothar Matthaus (Germany - Football)

Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands - Football)

Boris Becker (Germany - Tennis)

Colin McCrae (GB - Motor Racing)

Carlos Sainz (Spain - Motor Racing) - not Junior

Jacky Ickx (Belgium - Motor Racing)

Sebastian Vettel (Germany - Formula One)

Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany - Soccer)

Fernando Alonso (Spain - Formula One)

Alain Prost (France - Formula One)

Niki Lauda (Austria - Formula One)

Nigel Mansell (England - Formula One)

Eric Cantona (France - Soccer)

Lennox Lewis (England - Boxing)

Paolo Maldini (Italy - Soccer)

Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine - Boxing)

Kenny Dalgleish (Scotland - Football)

Michel Platini (France - Football)

Hermann Maier (Austria)- Skiing

Franz Klammer (Austria)- Skiing

Marcel Hirscher (Austria) Skiing

Niki Lauda (Austria)- Formula One

Gerhard Berger (Austria)- Formula One

Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)- Tennis

Eden Hazard (Belgium)- Football

Kim Clijsters (Belgium)- Tennis

Justine Henin (Belgium)- Tennis

Eddy Merckx (Belgium)- Cycling

Janica Kostelic (Croatia)- Skiing

Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)- Tennis

Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic)- Tennis

Jan Zelezny (Czech Republic)- Athletics

Peter Schmeichel (Denmark)- Football

Lewis Hamilton (England)- Formula One

Bobby Moore (England)- Football

Laura Trott (England)- Track Cycling

Phil Taylor (England)- Darts

Ronnie O'Sullivan (England)- Snooker

David Beckham (England)- Football

Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff (England)- Cricket

James Anderson (England)- Cricket

Ian Botham (England)- Cricket

Adam Peaty (England)- Swimming

Jess Ennis-Hill (England)- Athletics

Mo Farah (England)- Athletics

Kelly Holmes (England)- Athletics

Steve Redgrave (England)- Rowing

Johnny Wilkinson (England)- Rugby Union

Mika Hakkinen (Finland)- Formula One

Kimi Raikkonen (Finland)- Formula One

Lasse Viren (Finland)- Athletics

Alain Prost (France)- Formula One

Sebastian Loeb (France)- Rallying

Zinedine Zidane (France)- Football

Eric Cantona (France)- Football

Steffi Graf (Germany)- Tennis

Michael Schuamcher (Germany)- Formula One

Sebastian Vettel (Germany)- Formula One

Boris Becker (Germany)- Tennis

Frankie Dettori (Italy)- Horse Racing

Gianlugi Buffon (Italy)- Football

Valentino Rossi (Italy)- Motorcycling

Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)- Football

Michael Van Gerwen (Netherlands)- Darts

Raymund Van Barneveld (Netherlands)- Darts

Inge de Bruijn (Netherlands)- Swimming

Marianne Vos (Netherlands)- Cycling

Dafne Schippers (Netherlands)- Athletics

AP (Tony) McCoy (Northern Ireland)- Horse Racing

Alex Higgins (Northern Ireland)- Snooker

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)- Golf

Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway)- Skiing

Cristiano Ronaldo - (Portugal)- Football

Eusebio (Portugal)- Football

Ruby Walsh (Republic of Ireland)- Horse Racing

Nadia Comaneci (Romania) Gymnastics

Yelena Isinbaeva (Russia)- Athletics

Stephen Hendry (Scotland)- Snooker

Jackie Stewart (Scotland)- Formula One

Colin McRae (Scotland)- Rallying

Andy Murray (Scotland)- Tennis

Chris Hoy (Scotland)- Cycling

Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Tennis

Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) Tennis

Monica Sales (Serbia)- Tennis

Rafael Nadal (Spain)- Tennis

Seve Ballesteros (Spain)- Golf

Fernando Alonso (Spain)- Formula One

Bjorn Borg (Sweden)- Tennis

Carolina Kluft (Sweden)- Athletics

Ronnie Peterson (Sweden)- Formula One

Roger Federer (Switzerland)- Tennis

Martina Hingis (Switzerland)- Tennis

Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine)- Boxing

Vitaly Klitschko (Ukraine)- Boxing

Joe Calagzhe (Wales)- Boxing

Tanni-Grey Thompson (Wales)- Paralympic Athletics

Jade Jones (Wales)- Taekwondo

I know that is a very long list.

Here are some nominations from me for people that I don't think have appeared yet:

 

Kevin Pietersen - England - Cricket

Alastair Cook - England - Cricket

Daley Thompson - England - Athletics

Sebastian Coe - England - Athletics

Linford Christie - England - Athletics

Pietro Mennea - Italy - Athletics

Sergey Bubka - Ukraine - Athletics

Ben Ainslie - England - Sailing

Alistair Brownlee - England - Triathlon

Olga Korbut - Belarus - Gymnastics

 

And here are ten I've picked from people's lists so far that I'm nominating to help them to get straight through to the final:

 

Roger Federer - Switzerland - Tennis

Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal - Football

Dennis Bergkamp - Netherlands - Football

Thierry Henry - France - Football

Lewis Hamilton - England - F1

Mo Farah - England - Athletics

Andy Murray - Scotland - Tennis

George Best - Northern Ireland - Football

Ian Botham - England - Cricket

Steve Redgrave - England - Rowing

 

 

Can I add the following?

 

Henry Cooper (England - Boxing)

 

The man whose left hook dumped Ali on his arse. If that bell hadn't have rung straight after...

Yeah that's fine!

Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)- Tennis

Just over two days left to get your nominations in!

Apologies for spellings

 

Football

1. George Best

2. Bobby Charlton

3. Bobby Moore

4. John Terry

5. David Beckham

6. Ruud Gullit

7. Gian Franco Zola

8. Gian Luca Vialli

9. Paul Gascoigne

10. Johan Cruyff

11. Zinedine Zidane

 

Athletics

1. Kelly Holmes

2. Christine Ohourougu

3. Mo Farrah

4. Carolina Kruft

5. Colin Jackson

6. Jonathan Edwards

7. Sally Gunnell

8. Jacob Ingebrigsten

9. Paula Radcliffe

10. Jessica Ennis

 

Tennis

1. Martina Navratilova

2. Steffi Graf

3. Kim Clijsters

4. Martina Hingis

5. Roger Federer

6. Novak Djokovic

7. Rafael Nadal

8. Bjorn Borg

9. Stefan Edberg

10. Mats wilander

11. Ivan Lendl

 

Swimming

1. Adam Peaty

2. Sarah Solstrom

3. Rebecca Adlington

4. Federica Pelligirini

5. Laslo Cseh

6. Katinka Hosszu

 

Snooker

1. Stephen Hendry

2. Ronnie OSullivan

 

Boris Becker

Nick Faldo (England)- Golf

Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)- Rugby Union

Jonathan Rea (Northern Ireland)- Motorcycling

 

Football

 

David Beckham

Ryan Giggs

Wayne Rooney

Cristiano Ronaldo

George Best

Bobby Charlton

Bobby Moore

Peter Schmeichel

Iker Casillas

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Ellan White

Lucy Bronze

Kelly Smith

Steph Houghton

Eric Cantona

Paul Scholes

Gareth Bale

 

Motor racing

 

Lewis Hamilton

Michael Schumacher

Nikki Lauda

Alain Prost

Jackie Stewart

Fernando Alonso

Jenson Button

 

Tennis

 

Martina Hingis

Andy Murray

Steffi Graf

Agnieszka Radwanska

Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic

Martina Navratilova

Rafael Nadal

Tim Henman

 

Athletics

 

Mo farrah

Kelly Holmes

Sally Gunnell

Jessica Ennis Hill

Katrina Johnston Thompson

Paula Radcliffe

 

Swimming

 

Rebecca Adlington

Adam Petty

 

Diving

 

Tom Daley

 

Rowing

 

Steve Redgrave

 

Cycling

 

Laura Trott

Dani King

Joanna Rowsell

Chris Hoy

Bradley Wiggins

Victoria Pendleton

Marianne Vos

Chris Froome

Sarah Storey