Sport in Europe
The origins of many of the world's most popular sports today lie in the codification of many traditional games, especially in the United Kingdom.
However, a paradoxical feature of European sport is the extent to which local, regional and national variations continue to exist, and even in some instances to predominate.
[1] In most sports teams have grown and continue to grow from small clubs formed by groups of individuals.
In Europe, basketball is the second most popular team sport in many countries, including Greece, Serbia, Turkey and Spain.
Cricket is a popular summer sport in the United Kingdom and has been exported to other parts of the former British Empire.
In the 21/22 season, the men's competition experienced a record viewership of 1.1 billion people across all streaming platforms around the world.
It is also popular at a professional level in Germany, Norway, Austria, most of Western Europe and isolated parts of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
National teams currently play the Ice Hockey World Championships, where Russia / Soviet Union have claimed a combined 27 titles, the Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia 12 and Sweden 11.
Rugby union is popular in France (especially the south), England, Wales, Scotland (especially the main cities and Borders), Ireland, Italy and Georgia.
The game is also relatively popular in Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Moldova, Andorra and Romania, as it is at a professional level in these countries.
The European Rugby Champions Cup is the premier continental championship, with clubs qualifying from the three professional competitions.
European teams have won most editions of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, led by Italy with three wins.
In the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, the Soviet Union has won five editions, Russia two, and Italy and Serbia one each.
Other team sports like futsal, beach Soccer, roller hockey, and American football are also popular in some European countries.
[5][6][7] In Spain, due to Latin American immigrants bringing the sport, particularly from countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
Road cycling is especially popular in France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Notable road cyclists include Jacques Anquetil, Louison Bobet, Bernard Hinault, Alberto Contador, Miguel Indurain, Eddy Merckx, Gino Bartali, Alfredo Binda, Fausto Coppi, and Felice Gimondi.
Notable male golfers include Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington, Ian Woosnam, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Bernhard Langer, Martin Kaymer, Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal and Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
Italian riders Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi are the two most successful of all time, with eight and seven 500cc / MotoGP World Championships respectively.
Two of the four Grand Slam events are held in Europe: the Roland Garros in France and the Wimbledon Championships in the United Kingdom.
Notable male tennis players include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl and Björn Borg.
Notable female tennis players include Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Simona Halep, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Conchita Martínez, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Petra Kvitová, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, and Iga Świątek.
European competitors have traditionally dominated at the Winter Olympics and the International Ski Federation World Championships.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union, East Germany and other communist countries had a fierce rivalry in the Olympic Games with Western Europe and the United States.
The cultural importance of the system has been demonstrated through the public rejection of the European Super League proposals in Spring 2021.
