Table of Contents
The origins of the game of badminton can be traced back to Eurasia, however, the modern rendition of the game is believed to have originated from the British in the 19th century. Soon after that, the game was played all across the globe. The Badminton game has found a special footing in Asia and recent years, countries such as China, Denmark, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and Japan have dominated the sport and have taken it to another level. Due to its growing popularity, the game was included in the Olympics in 1992. The game has been played by several brilliant performers, so, let’s take a look at some of the best badminton players in the world ever.
Top 10 Best Badminton Players in the World Ever
| Rank | Name of the badminton player |
| 1 | Lin Dan |
| 2 | Lee Chong Wei |
| 3 | Gao Ling |
| 4 | Taufik Hidayat |
| 5 | Rudy Hartono |
| 6 | Li Lingwei |
| 7 | Tony Gunawan |
| 8 | Morten Frost Hansen |
| 9 | Peter Hoeg Gade |
| 10 | Han Aiping |
Best badminton player ever: Han Aiping
Starting off the list of the world’s best badminton players ever is Han Aiping. Considered one of the greatest female shuttlers of all time, she quickly made a name for herself in the badminton circuit. Aiping was a force to be reckoned with and she dominated the circuit for well over a decade, which yielded some memorable moments, most of which were with Li Lingwei. Lingwei was her doubles partner as well as her greatest rival. They played against each other in the World Cup as well as in the World Championships. Aiping retired in 1989. Unfortunately, she died due to lung cancer in 2019.
Best badminton player: Peter Hoeg Gade
At the number nine position, we have Peter Gade. This Danish player is one of the most famous and best European badminton players of all time. Peter made his breakthrough in the European circuit, before jumping into the international scene. One of the greatest highlights of his career was when he ranked number 1 from 1998 to 2001 and again in 2006. After winning 22 Grand Prix titles, this Danish maestro retired in 2012.
Best badminton players in the world: Morten Frost Hansen
At number eight, we have Morten Frost Hansen. Yet another Danish player, he was one of the first European players to have made his mark in the field of badminton. His kitty includes silver medals in World Championships, World Games, and the World Cup. Furthermore, he also ranked number 1. Post-retirement, he coached several countries such as Denmark, Malaysia, and South Africa. As a coach, he helped Denmark win the Olympic gold in 1996.
Also Read | Top 10 Badminton Net available Online | Buy today for best accuracy & more fun
Top Badminton Player: Tony Gunawan
Debuting in the 1990s, this Indonesian-American legendary player has achieved quite a lot, such as winning gold in the Olympics as well as the World Championships. Tony has represented both the USA and Indonesia, helping them capture the World Championships. He is regarded as one of the greatest badminton players of all time.
Best woman badminton player: Li Lingwei
At number six features Li Lingwei. She was considered the best female badminton player in the 1980s. Her achievements include 7 gold medals in the World Cup and 3 gold medals in World Championships. In the doubles circuit, she dominated along with Han Aiping. In 2012, she became a member of the International Olympic Committee and later on went on to become the vice president of the Chinese Olympic committee for four years.
Best badminton players in the world ever: Rudy Hartono
Coming in at number five is Rudy Hartono, a former Indo-Chinese badminton player. Hartono is widely considered one of the best of his time. Owing to his class and flair, he is easily one of the most popular badminton players ever. A career that is full of numerous feats, perhaps his most notable one is that he won the prestigious All-England Championship 8 times. He also won the World Championship in 1980. Due to his accomplishments and contributions to the field, he was inducted into the BWF Hall of Fame in 1997.
Also Read | Top 10 Best Badminton Shuttlecocks to buy online
Top Badminton Player: Taufik Hidayat
Featuring in number four is Taufik Hidayat, a former Indonesian badminton player. Taufik is easily one of the most decorated champions and best badminton players in the world of all time. Debuting in 1997, he dominated the circuit in the 2000s. He has won the Indonesian Open six times. To top it all, he also won gold in the 2004 Olympics and the 2005 World Championships. He retired post-2012 London Olympics.
Top Badminton Player: Gao Ling
In the list of best badminton players of all time, Gao Ling comes in at number three. Born in Wuhan in China, Gao Ling established herself as a force to be reckoned with. She managed to win almost all the competitions that she participated in. Her medal tally includes 2 Olympic Gold medals, 3 World Championship Golds, 1 World Cup gold, etc. She won her last tournament in 2009 in the Philippines Open, following which she announced her retirement from the game. In 2011, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Best Badminton Player: Lee Chong Wei
At number two we have Lee Chong Wei. This former Malaysian badminton player has ranked number 1 for a staggering 349 weeks. Considered a World Class player, he has won numerous accolades. These include 3 silver medals in the Olympic Games and 5 gold medals in the Commonwealth games. To add to this, he has won silver medals in the World Championship and Thomas Cup as well. After a thoroughly successful career, he bid adieu to the game in 2019.
Best Badminton Player in the world: Lin Dan
Topping the list of the greatest badminton players ever is none other than Lin Dan. A former Chinese player who holds a record of 666 wins to 131 titles, he is widely considered the greatest badminton player ever. Having numerous career titles to his name, Dan has also ranked number one in the rankings.
A man who has accomplished a lot, his claim to fame includes two Olympic Gold medals, five World Championship victories, and two World Cup gold medals among numerous other victories. However, his injuries and years of wear and tear finally caught up to him and he had to hang up his boots in 2020.
Best Indian Badminton Players
| S.N | Badminton Players |
| 1 | Nandu Natekar |
| 2 | Pullela Gopichand |
| 3 | Prakash Padukone |
| 4 | Jwala Gutta |
| 5 | Saina Nehwal |
| 6 | Aparna Popat |
| 7 | P.V Sindhu |
| 8 | Parupalli Kashyap |
| 9 | Srikanth Kidambi |
| 10 | Lakshya Sen |
