John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg's tennis match has been voted the greatest sporting rivalry.
They were both court stars and played 14 matches between 1978-81, participating in some of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world.
A poll of 2000 adults showed that Cristiano Ronaldo was favored over Lionel Messi and England's football team over Germany came in second and third, respectively.
John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, just before the 1981 Wimbledon Men's Singles Final. Their rivalry was voted the greatest in sporting history
The top five were completed by Joe Frazier versus Muhammad Ali, and Roger Federer against Rafael Nadal.
Also, it was found that adults prefer sports rivalries to quarrels between reality TV stars or fictional spats in movies.
Three in 10 people said that a competitive element in TV or film was more likely to fuel their enthusiasm.
The research was commissioned by Nintendo. They will recreate one of the most famous fictional rivalries ever, Harry Potter's Gryffindor & Slytherin. According to 14% of respondents, they will compete head-tohead in a battle between expert video gaming and fast thumbs.
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Tom Felton and Matt Lewis were on-screen rivals in a series sporting matches today on Nintendo Switch Sports at London’s Westfield White City.
The pair fought it out in front a crowd of observers, which was reminiscent of their on-screen rivalry.
A study found that people love watching strong rival sports teams play out, with 3 in 10 saying it makes watching sporting events more exciting.
However, 46% believe that football is the most popular sport. Formula One racing (23%), and tennis (22.6%) are close behind.
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32% of people are emotionally involved in two sports teams competing against each other. However, only 22% will be able to see which side comes out on top.
Nearly half (46%) of celebrities who love the thrill of celebrity gossip will share the latest gossip with their friends.
OnePoll also conducted the study and found that more than 4 out 10 people thought famous quarrels were those between friends who later reconciled.
TOP 10 SPORTING RIVALS:
1. Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe
2. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi
3. England vs Germany
4. Muhammed Ali vs Joe Frazier
5. Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal
6. Nigel Benn vs Chris Eubank
7. Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira
8. Oxford vs Cambridge – Boat Race
9. Liverpool vs Manchester United
10. Ayrton Senna vs Alain Prost
