15 Best Sports Movies Of All Time (Ranked)

Sports movies are a staple of American entertainment. They’ll get you cheering, laughing, or even shedding a tear. They’ll also create a lot of debate when talking about which films stand above the others, so let us take our swing at ranking the best sports movies of all time.

15. Rocky

Rocky is an excellent film. It was the highest-grossing movie of 1976 and won Best Picture at the 1977 Academy Awards. That said, it’s more of a drama set against a sports backdrop than a pure sports movie.

When you get to the match against Apollo Creed in the third act, the boxing presentation is fantastic. And despite a few problematic moments when you look at the film through 2024 eyes, Rocky is still an amazing underdog story that should resonate with audiences today.

14. Moneyball

Moneyball is the first baseball entry on the list, and it is one of Brad Pitt’s better outings on-screen. The film tells the story of the 2002 Oakland A’s and their general manager, Billy Beane, who had to use unorthodox methods to build a team that could compete with a low payroll. The movie is based on the book of the same name and stays relatively true to the actual story from 2002.

The film itself is more about the inner workings of a baseball front office than it is about the on-field play, but it’s fascinating if you’re a baseball fan. Pitt’s performance demonstrates how cold and calculated small-market GMs had to be to survive in a league with no salary cap. They don’t win it all in the end, but it’s still a fun watch.

13. Friday Night Lights

It’s the film that inspired the long-running television show of the same name and is based on the popular book. To anyone outside of America, it might seem strange to witness obsession over high school football. But if you’ve ever lived in Texas, it’s a part of life.

When a devastating injury early in the season damages the prospects of the local team, it’s on Billy Bob Thornton to rally the troops. Friday Night Lights tells an inspiring story while addressing social issues in a small town. All the while, the football in the film is pretty good, too.

12. The Natural

Robert Redford in a baseball movie seems like a pretty good recipe for success. Roy Hobbs is a rising baseball star in the early 20th century. On his way to a tryout with the Chicago Cubs, he is shot, and his baseball dreams seemingly end at the age of 19. Then, 16 years later, Hobbs is signed as a rookie with the New York Knights.

The Natural is a story about never giving up and chasing our dreams. However, in a season where the Knights are unexpectedly challenging for a title, Hobbs has a dilemma: does he put his own dreams over his health? The Natural is an excellent story about adversity and what some people will do to overcome it.

11. Caddyshack

Caddyshack is the movie that ESPN called “perhaps the funniest sports movie ever made.” The 1980 comedy stars Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield – all heavyweights of the comedy genre. And while there’s a lot going on in the movie, it revolves around a caddie trying to earn college tuition, a feud on the golf course, and a groundskeeper with a vendetta against a gopher.

For a comedy film, Caddyshack has a lot to say about class, especially for a 1980 movie. The caddy is a high school student desperate not to live a life working menial jobs. At the same time, a battle between new money and old money is taking place in the form of a feud. The sequel was a complete bomb, but the original Caddyshack still holds up today.

10. The Wrestler

Fans of WWE, AEW, or any professional wrestling will love The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke is sensational as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a past-his-prime professional wrestler trying to hang on to his past glory. When Randy suffers a heart attack, he has to try to move on to a different stage of life. But can he leave behind the glory and cheering crowds?

The Wrestler is so much more than a pro wrestling movie. It addresses aging, loss, and identity. How do you move on with life when the only thing you’ve ever defined yourself with is gone? Randy tries to answer that question while attempting to forge relationships outside of the ring. In the end, he has to face his demons one more time before he can (maybe) move on.

9. Challengers

An immensely popular film in 2024, Challengers caused a whole lot of people to become interested in tennis. Tashi (Zendaya) is a former tennis star turned coach who forces her husband to play in a low-level tennis tournament to try to break his losing streak. There, Tashi’s ex is also a competitor, igniting a whole different kind of competition.

Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist are terrific as former friends who are both trying to recapture past glory. There are some great tennis scenes, but Challengers is just as much about relationships, friendship, and love.

8. Bull Durham

Minor league baseball has a romanticism to it. Smaller ballparks, quirky traditions (my city’s minor league team has a pig bring baseballs out to the umpire), and the lack of fame and riches define the sport at this level. Bull Durham features the collision of two baseball stars – one at the end of his career and the other at the beginning of his – with Susan Sarandon in between them stirring the pot.

Bull Durham is the first baseball film Kevin Costner made, and in my opinion, it’s his best. Tim Robbins shines as Nuke Laloosh as he learns the ropes with the Durham Bulls before being called up to Oakland. It’s part romantic comedy and part baseball movie, but Bull Durham is still a lot of fun.

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7. Rudy

There are a lot of comedies on this list, and Rudy certainly isn’t one of them. Before he was Samwise Gamgee or Bob in Stranger Things, Sean Astin starred as the titular character in 1993’s Rudy. The film chronicles the story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who overcame several obstacles to achieve his dream of playing football at Notre Dame.

Based on a true story, Rudy is the epitome of perseverance and determination to overcome obstacles. Just getting into Notre Dame was beating the odds for Rudy; getting onto the field made him a fairy tale. Fun fact: Rudy was the first time Notre Dame allowed a film to be shot on campus since 1940’s Knute Rockne: All American.

6. Hoosiers

Gene Hackman is one of the best actors of his generation, and he shines as the head coach of a small-town basketball team with big dreams in Hoosiers. The movie is based on a true story from 1951 when Hickory High School in Indiana played for the state championship.

Basketball in Indiana is like football in Texas. So, a David vs Goliath story of a small-town team winning it all against giants really works. It’s a story about principle, hard work, and the power of wanting something more in life.

5. I, Tonya

Remember the scandal between Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding before the 1994 Olympic Games? Even if you don’t, I, Tonya is still excellent and worth a watch. The film chronicles the incident behind the assault on Nancy Kerrigan in the leadup to the Olympics, orchestrated by Tonya Harding’s camp. I, Tonya tells the story largely from Tonya Harding’s point of view.

What makes the film stand out is that it takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the story. Starring Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan, I, Tonya is presented as a mockumentary that leaves it up to you to decide if Harding’s version of events has merit. Either way, I, Tonya is a fun look at a plot so ridiculous that it’s hard to believe it really happened.

4. Major League

Many sports movies have a deep message set against the sports backdrop. Major League, on the other hand, is just ridiculous fun. The antics of Rick Vaughn, Willie Mays Hayes, Jake Taylor, and Pedro Cerrano as a collection of thrown-away toys who band together to win the division are great fun every time I watch it.

Released in 1988, Major League is a chance to see Dennis Haysbert before 24 and Charlie Sheen before he talked about tiger blood. Aside from a strong cast, the real star of the film is baseball announcer Bob Uecker. While filming, Uecker, known for his legendary wit, ad-libbed many of his lines, and they’re pretty much all gold. Plus, Rick Vaughn coming out of the bullpen to “Wild Thing” is amazing every time I watch it.

3. A League of Their Own

“There’s no crying in baseball!” — it’s a line that almost everyone knows, whether you’ve seen A League of Their Own or not. The film chronicles the Rockford Peaches, a team in the Women’s Baseball League that began play during World War II. The cast, headlined by Tom Hanks, is as good or better than any other film on this list.

A League of Their Own is more than just a fun baseball movie – it’s also a look into history. Topics such as sexism and equality in general are addressed. In addition, the stresses of family and the costs of war are a constant backdrop to a film where you’re truly pulling for the Peaches the whole time.

2. Miracle

Based on the true story from the 1980 Olympic Games, Miracle stars Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, coach of the United States hockey team. At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet hockey team sent professionals to the Olympics every four years, and the Americans sent amateur players. In 1980, the amateurs would prevail. Brooks used unorthodox methods, encouraging them to bond by uniting against him.

The Miracle on Ice is arguably the biggest sports upset to ever take place on that big of a stage. Miracle does a wonderful job of endearing viewers to the players, bringing us on the journey with them from qualifying to the Olympics themselves.

1. Remember the Titans

There are better movies than Remember the Titans. However, few movies are more powerful, and few resonate better with sports fans. Starring Denzel Washington and Will Patton, Remember the Titans also features Kate Bosworth and a young Ryan Gosling.

In 1971, a school board in Virginia enforced laws to integrate the football teams of two schools. An all-Black team would now play alongside an all-White team. As much as Remember the Titans is about football, it is even more about the journey to understanding, healing, and togetherness in a community. With football season right around the corner, there’s no better time to revisit this 2000 film.

And those are the 15 best sports movies of all time.