My Official, Undisputed, 100% Correct Top 25 Sports Movies of All Time
By: Keaton Hargett, @KeatonItReal_ on X
Alright, let’s get one thing straight. People love to make lists, and people love to argue about lists. But this isn’t just a list. This is THE list. I’ve crunched the numbers, re-watched the classics, and put together the definitive ranking of the Top 25 Sports Movies ever made as of 2025.
Some of you will read this and nod your head, because you get it. Others will head to the comments section or fire off a tweet saying I’m an idiot. To you, I say: you’re wrong. This is the Mount Rushmore of sports flicks. Let’s get to it.
25. Jerry Maguire
“Show me the money!”
Look, it’s a classic. Tom Cruise is an agent having a full-blown meltdown and Cuba Gooding Jr. is electric as Rod Tidwell. It’s got some of the most quotable lines in movie history. But let’s be honest, it’s as much a rom-com as it is a sports movie. It makes the list, but it’s sitting firmly at #25.
24. My All-American
“We’re gonna give them a little Texas fight.”
If you want a movie that hits you right in the feels, this is it. The true story of Freddie Steinmark is the definition of heart and guts. It’s an unbelievable story of courage on the gridiron. It might not have the blockbuster feel of others on this list, but the raw emotion earns it a spot.
23. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”
Is dodgeball a real sport? ESPN 8 “The Ocho” thinks so, and that’s good enough for me. This movie is flat-out hilarious. Patches O’Houlihan is a coaching icon and the Globo-Gym Purple Cobras are all-time villains. It’s pure, stupid fun, and that’s why we love it.
22. The Waterboy
“That’s some high-quality H2O.”
Captain Insano shows no mercy! Adam Sandler as Bobby Boucher is legendary. A socially awkward waterboy who becomes the most feared linebacker in college football thanks to his “tackling fuel.” It’s endlessly quotable and an absolute staple of the genre.
21. Draft Day
“I want my picks back, and I want David goddamn Putney, just because I feel like it.”
For the real football junkies. Kevin Costner wheeling and dealing as an NFL GM on draft day is pure electricity. The tension, the trades, the “Vontae Mack no matter what” energy—it’s a masterclass in sports process. An underrated gem that gets better with every watch.
20. Hoosiers
“I’ll make it.”
The quintessential underdog basketball story. Gene Hackman’s Coach Norman Dale is the gold standard for movie coaches. It’s a slow burn compared to modern flicks, but the final game is pure cinematic magic. A story about redemption, teamwork, and pulling off the impossible. Respect your elders.
19. We Are Marshall
“The funeral ends today.”
Just an absolute gut-punch of a movie, in the best way possible. Based on the horrific true story of the 1970 Marshall plane crash, Matthew McConaughey leads the charge to rebuild a team and a town. It’s heavy, but it’s an incredibly powerful and inspiring story about resilience.
18. Friday Night Lights
“Perfection is being able to look your friends in the eye and know you did everything you could not to let them down.”
Before it was a legendary TV show, it was a gritty, hard-hitting movie. This is the real, unfiltered look at the pressure cooker that is Texas high school football. It feels less like a movie and more like a documentary. “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.” An absolute masterpiece.
17. Space Jam
“It’s the ‘Michael’s Secret Stuff’.”
If you were a kid in the 90s, this movie is a core memory. Michael Jordan, the GOAT, teaming up with the Looney Tunes to save the world from basketball-stealing aliens. It’s got Bill Murray, it’s got the Monstars, it’s got a killer soundtrack. It’s nostalgia and fun all rolled into one. It’s iconic. End of discussion.
16. Caddyshack
“Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion.”
The funniest sports movie ever made. I’m not taking questions on this. Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield created an endlessly quotable, laugh-out-loud masterpiece. From the gopher to the “Dalai Lama” speech, it’s comedy gold.
15. Miracle
“Great moments are born from great opportunity.”
Chills. Every single time. Kurt Russell’s portrayal of Herb Brooks is arguably the best coaching performance in cinema history. The story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team’s upset over the Soviet Union is the stuff of legend. You know how it ends, but your heart still pounds during the final countdown.
14. Field of Dreams
“Hey, Dad? You wanna have a catch?”
Another Costner banger. This one transcends baseball. It’s about fathers and sons, regrets, and second chances. If you can watch the final scene without getting something in your eye, you might not have a soul. “If you build it, he will come.” And they built a perfect movie.
13. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
“I wake up in the morning and I piss excellence.”
“If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as the Shake ‘n Bake duo is comedy perfection. It’s a hilarious send-up of NASCAR culture with a ridiculous number of quotable lines. A modern classic that will be watched forever.
12. Ford v Ferrari
“There’s a point at 7,000 RPM where everything fades.”
Pure, high-octane adrenaline. Christian Bale and Matt Damon are incredible in this true story of Ford’s mission to beat Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966. The racing scenes are some of the best ever put to film. It’s a gripping tale of innovation, corporate meddling, and raw driving talent.
11. Rocky
“Yo, Adrian!”
The movie that started it all. The ultimate underdog. Rocky Balboa is more than a character; he’s a cultural icon. It’s not just about boxing; it’s about having the heart to go the distance when no one believes in you. The training montage is the blueprint for every sports movie that followed.
10. The Sandlot
“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
This movie is summer. It perfectly captures the feeling of being a kid, playing ball with your friends until the sun goes down. It’s filled with legendary characters from Smalls to Ham to Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez. “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!” is part of our vocabulary for a reason. Top 10 lock.
9. Happy Gilmore
“The price is wrong, bitch.”
A hockey goon with a 400-yard drive takes on the golf establishment. What’s not to love? Happy’s showdown with Bob Barker is an all-time great movie scene. It’s Sandler at his comedic peak. Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a damn.
8. Air
“A shoe is just a shoe until my son steps into it.”
Who knew a movie about negotiating a shoe contract could be this damn entertaining? Ben Affleck and Matt Damon can’t miss. Air tells the story of how Nike landed Michael Jordan, and it’s absolutely riveting from start to finish. A brilliant look at the business behind the sports we love.
7. Any Given Sunday
“On any given Sunday you’re gonna win or you’re gonna lose. The point is, can you win or lose like a man?”
Al Pacino’s locker room speech about “fighting for that inch” is the greatest sports movie speech of all time. It’s a gritty, over-the-top, and intense look at the violent world of professional football. Oliver Stone throws you right into the fire. A powerhouse film.
6. Hustle
“Obsession is gonna beat talent every time.”
Adam Sandler proved he’s more than just a comedian with this one. Hustle is a fantastic, modern basketball movie. It’s a love letter to the game, from the grind of international scouting to the intensity of the NBA Draft Combine. Sandler is incredible as scout Stanley Sugerman. An instant classic.
5. The Bad News Bears (1976)
“This is a league game. We’re in a league. This is a league.”
The OG of underdog kids’ sports movies. Walter Matthau is perfect as the washed-up, beer-drinking Coach Buttermaker leading a team of misfits. It’s hilarious, politically incorrect, and has more heart than you remember. It set the mold for dozens of movies that followed.
4. Remember the Titans
“Attitude reflects leadership, captain.”
Denzel Washington as Coach Boone is simply legendary. This movie is an absolute powerhouse. A true story about a newly integrated high school football team in 1971 Virginia. It has everything: incredible performances, a killer soundtrack, and a message that’s as powerful today as it ever was. Left side! Strong side!
3. The Blind Side
“You threaten my son, you threaten me.”
An absolute force. Sandra Bullock deservedly won an Oscar for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. The true story of Michael Oher is the definition of a feel-good movie. It perfectly blends heart, humor, and hard-hitting football. It’s a movie that just about everyone can watch and love. Elite.
2. The Longest Yard (2005)
“He broke his damn neck!”
Controversial pick for the #2 spot? I don’t care. The Adam Sandler/Chris Rock remake is better than the original. It’s funnier, the football action is better, and the cast is loaded with legends. Paul “Wrecking” Crewe leading the Mean Machine against the guards is peak sports movie entertainment. It’s a riot from start to finish and the final game is just awesome.
1. Moneyball
“We’ve got to think differently.”
Here it is. The top of the mountain. The GOAT. Moneyball isn’t just the best baseball movie ever made; it’s the best sports movie ever made. Brad Pitt as Billy Beane is flawless. It’s a movie for the thinkers, the innovators, the underdogs. It’s a story about challenging a century of conventional wisdom and finding a new way to win. It’s smart, funny, dramatic, and perfectly written. How can you not be romantic about baseball? This movie is a 10/10. No debate.