Top Athletes of the Decade - Men

So far we've brought you the Top Sports Stories of the Decade and the Top Athletes of the Decade - Women. Now, it's time for our third installation of our year-end lists, the Top Athletes of the Decade - Men.

1. Roger Federer
The 15-time Grand Slam champion is arguably the best player of all time, and is still young enough to add 3-4 more majors to his collection. Number 1 in the world for a record 237 consecutive weeks, Federer is one of only three men in the Open Era to win all four majors – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.



2. Michael Phelps
Six gold medals at the 2004 Olympics wasn’t good enough for him, so Phelps cam back four years later to win 8, a new record. At the Beijing Games, the swimmer set 7 world records and upped his medal total to 16. The 24-year old likely will set the all-time record for gold medals at the 2013 Games in London.

3. Tiger Woods
The world’s best golfer won 56 PGA tour events in the decade – 45 more than “rival” Phil Mickelson. His 12 major titles (14 total) during the decade put him just four behind the all-time leader, Jack Nicklaus.

4. Kobe Bryant
From 2000-2002 Bryant teamed with Shaquille O’Neal to win 3 NBA titles. In 2009 he proved he could do it without the big man, winning his fourth by age 30. During the decade Bryant was an MVP, a 10-time All-Star and two-time scoring champion. And he’s still in his prime.

5. Peyton Manning
The records Manning set in the decade are numerous and too many to mention; but the most important is how he led the Indianapolis Colts to 7 consecutive 12-win seasons and the most wins of any team in the decade. His three MVPs and 1 Super Bowl title (so far) puts him in the conversation with Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas and John Elway as the best quarterback of all time.