Badminton is among the top-drawer sports in the world, with millions of players plying their trade. It’s a high-intensity sport that requires shuttlers to be quick and accurate on the court.
A few players managed to do so while creating a larger impact and inspiring the upcoming players. They defeated their opponents with ease while delivering their peak performances.
Here we’ll look at the five greatest men’s badminton players of all time.
5. Kento Momota | Japan
Kento Momota, born in Mitoyo, Japan, took up the sport at a young age. He excelled in junior championships before dominating at the senior level with his unpredictable playing style.
In 2018, the Japanese shuttle occupied the No. 1 spot in the BWF World Rankings. The next year, Momota entered the record books by winning 11 titles in 2019, the most in a single year.
The explosive shuttler won the BWF World Championships and Asia Championships twice, along with several other championships. In April 2024, Momota bid adieu to badminton at the age of 29.
4. Peter Hoeg Gade | Denmark
Traditionally, Asian players have dominated badminton, but Denmark’s Peter Hoeg Gade was an exception. And leaving your mark in the sport hailing from a non-Asian country is no mean feat.
The Danish shuttle left an indelible mark with his deceptive shots and excellent footwork. Gade started his badminton career in the 1994 World Junior Championships, winning the gold in boys’ doubles with his partner Peder Nissen.
He continued his run at the higher level, sitting at the top of the BWF World Rankings from 1998 to 2001. Gade went on to win five singles European Championships and 22 Grand Prix titles before bowing out in 2018.
3. Taufik Hidayat | Indonesia
Taufik Hidayat left his opponents shocked with his quick backhand smashes. Thanks to that, the Indonesian shuttler earned the moniker ‘Mr. Backhand’.
Hidayat won three consecutive gold medals each in the Asian Championships and Asian Games. He also bagged the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics and the 2005 BWF World Championships.
Hidayat hung his boots in 2012, finishing among the greatest shuttlers in badminton.
2. Lee Chong Wei | Malaysia
A BWF Hall of Famer, Lee Chong Wei is among the all-time greatest badminton players. He liked playing basketball at an early age, but his mother debarred him from playing the sport.
Lee’s father used to play badminton, which pushed him towards the sport at the age of 11. Six years later, he entered the Malaysian team for the Junior Championships before commanding the World No. 1 rankings for 349 weeks.
Lee won five gold medals in the Commonwealth Games and two in the Asian Championships. He reached the finals of the Olympics and the World Championships three times each but ended up with silver medals.
1. Lin Dan | China
Lin Dan is the greatest men’s badminton player of all time. The Chinese shuttler won almost every major badminton tournament, including two gold medals in the Olympics.
Dan’s parents wanted him to become a pianist, but he decided to pick the racket. And it turned out to be the best decision.
Dan began playing the sport at an early age of five years before getting into the national team at the age of 18. He won the World Championships, Sudirman Cup, and Asian Games five times each. He also won the Thomas Cup six times.
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