Soaring success! 9 top athletes born in the Year of the Dragon, from Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland, to NBA player Stephen Curry and MMA fighter Conor McGregor

Jan 23 , 2024

NBA player Stephen Curry, snowboarder Chloe Kim and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland were all born in the Year of the Dragon. Photos: @StephenCurry30/Instagram, AFP, Reuters

From Indian cricketer Virat Kohli to football stars Erling Haaland and Clarence Seedorf, many top athletes from around the world are born under this Chinese zodiac sign, kicking off in February

Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman are among the best American football players while Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have both won NBA MVP awards – and Chloe Kim is breaking records in snowboarding

Some of the world’s best athletes will take to the field this year in global competitions – and those born in the Year of the Dragon (1976, 1988 and 2000) often take centre stage.

Those born under this Chinese zodiac year – which kicks off in February, on Lunar New Year – are described as brave, bold and eager to jump headfirst into a challenge. These attributes can really help in the sports arena; no wonder these athletes are some of the best in their fields.

Here are 9 top athletes who were born in the Year of the Dragon.

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is one of the most famous cricketers in the world. Photo: @virat.kohli/Instagram

One of the most talented – and richest – cricketers the world has ever seen, Kohli was born on November 5, 1988, in Delhi, India. He has represented and led the Indian cricket team in One Day, Test and T20 formats, where he has set multiple records and won the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy, among others.

He was also awarded the 2017 and 2018 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for men’s cricketer of the year, reported Sharma Academy. ESPN has hailed him as one of the greatest One Day International (ODI) batsmen of all time, applauding his consistency and professionalism.

2. Erling Haaland

Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland is only 23 years old. Photo: @erling.haaland/Instagram

Considered one of the best footballers in the world today, Norway’s Erling Braut Haaland has lived up to the hype by smashing multiple records with his goal-scoring flair, all at just 23.

The Manchester City striker was born on July 21, 2000 in Leeds, England, to two Norwegian star athletes, an article by the club noted. But he soon stepped out of their shadow to make a name for himself in the sporting world. Transfermarkt reported he has won, among multiple other awards, the UEFA best player in Europe 2023, six footballer of the year awards, and Champions League with Manchester City last year.

3. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson started playing football since his high school days. Photo: @dangerusswilson/Instagram

Russell Carrington Wilson was born on November 29, 1988 in Ohio, US, and is considered to be one of the best quarterbacks of all time.