When Rory McIlroy ended his 11-year wait for a fifth and final golf major, he orchestrated a cultural movement bigger than even he could’ve imagined. This is an athlete whose entire career, spanning over two decades, has been at the forefront of the sport since day one.
The dedication, perseverance and unadulterated passion needed to commit your life to one goal is something that only few can understand - but Rory McIlroy has mastered. When he pulled on that green jacket, there wasn’t a dry eye left in the house. A little bit closer to home, the MatchFit team arrived into the office last week full of energy.
Co-founder Donald believed he had just witnessed the greatest sporting moment of his generation, convinced that McIlroy “fought for dear life to achieve completion”. He admitted that the Northern Irishman’s feat had put him above greats such as Andy Murray and Tiger Woods - resulting in the culmination of his entire sporting journey.
This bold statement got us thinking, what truly is the greatest sporting moment in history? Has anyone ever reached the heights that McIlroy did?
Director Rob was quick to name Liverpool’s comeback over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final. It really was a fight like no other. After trailing 3-0 in the first leg, no one expected the Reds to deliver the impossible at Anfield and earn a spot in the tournament final. Barcelona were visibly shaken on the night, with even Lionel Messi unable to settle his crew as Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in that corner. Liverpool had rewritten games before, but never like this.
Meanwhile Director Cherelle reminded us all of Anthony Joshua’s unbelievable victory over Wladimir Klitschko that turned Wembley into a colosseum back in 2017. There was no argument as to who the best heavyweight in the world was after that night. Utilising every second of time on the canvas, Joshua outsmarted Klitschko’s tricky tactics to win over a 90,000 capacity crowd - a moment that undoubtedly lives rent free in his mind.
Thom took us back to the court when he named Kawhi Leonard’s shot against the Philadelphia 76ers as the greatest sporting moment in history. This one needs no introduction, but if you don’t know then please get to know.
A moment adored by basketball fans everywhere, the final seconds of the Toronto Rapter’s victory over the 76ers in the Conference Semifinals of 2019 could not have been more vital. The crowd waited with bated breath, fans everywhere were on the edge of their seats, and when the ball finally fell through the hoop - it was all over.
The Lionesses immense Euro final win over Germany in 2022 first came to mind - remembering the scenes of Chloe Kelly celebrating her strike that made national headlines just moments after the full-time whistle. It’s a moment that lives in the mind’s of football fans everywhere. Jodie admitted that two moments stand out.
She recalled the moment England became Cricket World Cup winners for the first time ever in 2019. It was the first, and only, time the winner had been settled by a boundary count as New Zealand’s 17 failed to compete with England’s 26.
Working in sport is a dream for so many, especially when moments like this shake the world.
If McIlory fulfilled the greatest moment in sporting history, who’s next to challenge the champion?
