Ronnie O’Sullivan makes Jamie Carragher’s top three greatest sports people ever

Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has named his choices for the three greatest sports people of all-time and Ronnie O’Sullivan makes the legendary trio.

The seven-time snooker world champion is generally considered the finest player to ever play the game, while he is also seen as one of Britain’s greatest sports people.

However, Carragher has gone even further and reckons the Rocket is up there with any person to ever play any sport, placing him alongside Usain Bolt and Floyd Mayweather in his top three of all-time.

‘I chose people who I have watched, people will say Mohamed Ali, but I wanted people who have taken my breath away watching them,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.

‘Usain Bolt watching him in the 100m and 200m at the time, how far ahead he was of everybody. I’d have to say Usain Bolt.

‘I picked sports that I like, so from boxing, Floyd Mayweather. In terms of never being beaten, he’s beaten everyone.

‘The last one I went for is Ronnie O’Sullivan. The reason being, I go back to taking my breath away.

‘It’s not just that Ronnie O’Sullivan is the best snooker player of all-time, he can play with both hands.

‘I know people say some footballers can play with both feet, but playing snooker left-handed and getting a 147 in five minutes – [these] things that just make you go ‘wow’, nobody else can do that.’

Put to O’Sullivan last year that he is considered by some as Britain’s greatest sports person, he said: ‘It’s not for me to say, there’s been a lot of great British sportsmen.

‘I’d like to think I’m in a sport where I’m not ducking people, do you know what I’m saying? I’ve played the best at their best, they’ve played me at my best. It’s one of them sports, a bit like golf, tennis, where you’re forced to play the opponent.

‘Some other sports they don’t test themselves against the best for whatever reason. Listen, I like to think I’ve took on all comers in my career.’

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