Dominance is a concept that is rarely found in sport but is something that can take many forms. Some look in the win loss column. Others look to a teams influence and impact on the global sports stage. However, no matter how you define it, some of history's greatest sports teams have gone above and beyond to produce some of the most dominant and influential eras of sport, and it is something that we all should be proud to have witnessed. So with that in mind, the aim of this article is not to find the greatest team of all time, but is focused on shining a little light on the golden age of sport that we're all so lucky enough to live in.
New Zealand All Blacks - Rugby
When you think about world rugby, you think about the All-Blacks. For the last 112 years since their inception, they have reached a level of global dominance that no nation from any sport could ever dream of. Since 1909, the All-Blacks have won 77% of their games and hold the joint record of most World Cup wins (3) with South Africa. They also are the only team to possess a winning record against all other nations over the last 100 years and its ranks have given birth to some of history's greatest athletes in Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen and Dan Carter. But it's not just raw power and physicality that have led to this dominance, but years of constant progression and instinct deeply embedded in their Maori DNA.
1992 USA Olympic "Dream Team" - Basketball
On paper, there is no doubt that this Olympic squad will go down in history as the best that was ever assembled. 11 NBA All-Stars, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, introduced the world to NBA basketball in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and destroyed any and all opposition. Not only did they take home the gold medal, but finished the tournament undefeated (8-0) with an average points difference of 43.8 points per game. Even though they made an everlasting impression on the court, the accomplishments they achieved off it surpassed all imagination. They were able to capture the hearts and minds of sports fans from around the world and create an everlasting bond that the NBA still profits from today.
2009 FC Barcelona - Football
When it comes to footballing success, no team in club history can touch the triumphs of the 2009 Barcelona squad. They remain the only squad to win six major trophies in a calendar year which included: La Liga, Copa Del Ray, Champions League, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. Made up of footballing legends such as Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Carlos Puyol, there is no question that this is one of the greatest football teams ever assembled and combined with the managerial genius of Pep Guardiola, is one that will go down in history as one of the most unbeatable squads to ever inhabit Camp Nou.
1996 Chicago Bulls - Basketball
For any sports fanatic, the "Jordan Era" will forever be regarded as the greatest age of NBA basketball and at its very centre sits the 1996 Chicago Bulls. In their 82 game regular season, they finished atop of the Eastern Conference with a record of 72 wins with only 10 losses, a record only recently broken by the 2016 Golden State Warriors (73-9). They combined this with a 15-3 record in the playoffs which propelled them to their 4th NBA Championship in 6 years. The combination of the greatest player on the planet in Michael Jordan and a world-class supporting cast meant they were able to replicate this success all the way through to 1998 and will forever be regarded as the most significant and influential team in NBA history.
Mercedes F1 Team (2014 - Current) - Motorsport
Unlike some other teams in this list, the Mercedes F1 team hasn't just dominated for one season. Not 2. Not 3. Not even 4. In fact, since their emergence in 2014, Mercedes has been in overwhelming command of the Formula One scene for the past 7 seasons. In that time they have won 7 consecutive constructer and driver world titles, winning 86 out of 117 races since 2014 (a wining percentage of 73.5%). Now, this may make the viewing experience unbearably boring for fans, but you cannot question the bar that Mercedes have set as a constructor and scarily that bar is still rising, suggesting the end to their reign is still not in sight.
2017 Golden State Warriors - Basketball
Following a title defeat in 2016, the Golden State Warriors showed no remorse in thier 2017 NBA Championship campaign. With the aquisition of Kevin Durant (arguably one of the greatest players of all time), alongside a roster filled with Hall of Fame worthy talent, the Warriors put together one of the most commanding and dominant seasons in NBA history. They finished the regular season with 67 wins and only 15 losses, topped off by the best ever performance in a NBA playoff run. The Warriors lost only 1 game during thier superior march through the Western Conference (an all-time NBA record) and went on to win their 2nd NBA Championship in 3 years. This superiority was continued into the following season, replicating their success in 2017 with a back to back title in 2018. Although their reign was short in duration, their success from beyond the 3-point line forever changed the way the game of basketball is played and therefore they deserve an eternal seat at the table of greats.
West Indies 1980-1995 - Cricket
When it comes to win streaks, no sports team in history comes close to that of the West Indies Cricket team. Blessed with an influx of world-class talent that expanded across almost 2 decades, the West Indies won every test series they entered over a 15 year period, with their unimaginable streak starting with the winning of the Wisden Cup in 1980, and ending with a loss to Australia at the Frank Worrell Trophy in 1995. It's incredible to think that even todays most dominant sides always have an off day on a few occasions a season, whilst the West Indies didn't have an off day for 15 years!
Magicical stats, love it !
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