From global icons to sporting legends, Scotland has produced plenty of standout sports stars. With sports as varied as athletics, snooker, tennis and cycling, it’s tricky to identify just who is the finest Scottish athlete of all time. Here is a compiled list of just a few Scottish legends in the sporting industry…
- Sir Andy Murray
Whether Andy Murray is the greatest living Scottish sportsman is likely to spark a lively debate, but the three-time Grand Slam winner is undoubtedly the finest tennis player produced by Scotland and indeed Great Britain. Murray’s achievements on the court are all the more remarkable for the list of ‘firsts’ the Glaswegian has served up. Victory in the first round of his maiden appearance at Wimbledon in 2005 was the first time a Scotsman had won at the most famous tennis venue of them all in nearly half a century. Claiming the 2012 US Open, Murray became the first Brit to win a Grand Slam in 76 years. The first man to successfully defend an Olympic singles gold medal, Murray’s successes had him knocking on the door of the most dominant trio ever to assemble in tennis in Federer, Djokovic and Nadal.
- Sir Chris Hoy
No matter which Scottish sports events you follow, another Scottish athlete that you will have definitely heard of in the sports industry over the years is Sir Chris Hoy. Another knight of the realm, when Chris Hoy retired in 2013, he could look back on a stunning career that included six Olympic golds and 11 World Championship titles. These fair isles have produced a number of outstanding cyclists and Hoy is right up there. The second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time, the Edinburgh-born two-wheeled speedster etched his name in the history books when capturing three golds at the Beijing games in 2008. That was the first time a Brit had claimed a trio of golds in 100 years. Hoy later returned two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics, a pair of Commonwealth golds and for a span between 1999 and 2012 Hoy did not fail to win a medal at any cycling World Championships.
- Eilidh Doyle
Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete, Eilidh Doyle enjoyed a haul of 17 major medals during a glittering career competing in the 400m hurdles and 4 x 400m relay. Captaining Team Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was a notable highlight as Doyle bagged a silver in front of a joyous home crowd. Retiring at the age of 34 having opted to concentrate on raising a family, Eilidh’s contribution to Scottish athletics is notable for a nation with but a handful of notable track runners down the years.
- Sir Kenny Dalglish
Certainly Scotland’s greatest ever footballer, Kenny Dalglish is best known for his exploits in the red shirt of Liverpool. An Anfield legend, Dalglish made over 300 appearances for Celtic winning four Scottish championships before making the switch to Merseyside. In 13 seasons at Liverpool, ‘King Kenny’ won six English league titles and three European Cups, scoring the winning goal in 1978 final. To cap it all, Dalglish led Liverpool to the domestic double in 1986 and led Blackburn Rovers to Premier League success in 1995.
- Eve Muirhead
Capping a stunning career as skip of the Scottish national curling team, Eve Muirhead’s success on the ice is notable for transforming the image of a sport that barely featured at the Winter Olympics for much of the 20th century. When the Scots overcame Japan 10-3 in the final at Beijing 2022, it was Great Britain’s only gold of the games. A four-time Olympian, Muirhead’s record includes a host of medals at European and World Championship levels. The pride of Perthshire, Muirhead could have forged a career in golf but opted for the rink instead. She’s also a proficient bagpiper – pretty much the perfect Scottish sportswoman all in all!
