ATHLETES ARE RIGHTLY held up as heroes for their endeavours in the ring or on the field of play.

Sometimes though, the most compelling moments in sport occur in front of a microphone when an athlete opens up and shows their human side.

That can take the form of an admission of guilt, as in the case of Lance Armstrong, or the burning desire to be the greatest as shown by a young LeBron James.

With that in mind, we’ve put together some of the most revealing sports interviews ever published or broadcast:

1. Muhammad Ali, interviewed by Hugh McIlvanney, 1974

Ali spent longer talking to McIlvanney than he did fighting Foreman. YouTube Screengrab YouTube Screengrab

Publication: The Observer

Why it’s important: This interview took place just hours after Ali beat George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle” and confirmed him as the undisputed greatest boxer of all time. Despite the boxer having just stepped out of the ring, McIlvanney was granted two full hours with The Greatest.

Choice quote: 

The trick was to make him think he was the baddest man in the world and everybody had to run from him. Truth is I could have killed myself dancin’ against him. He’s too big for me to keep moving round him. I was a bit winded after doin’ it in the first round, so I said to myself: ‘Let me go to the ropes while I’m fresh, while I can handle him there without gettin’ hurt. Let him burn himself out. Let him blast his ass off and pray he keeps throwin’. Let it be a matter of who can hit who first, and that’s me.’ This was a real scientific fight, a real thinkin’ fight. For me it was. Everythin’ I did had a purpose”

Read it in full here.

2. Kenny Stabler, interviewed by Robert F. Jones, 1977

Kenny Stabler's colourful life was laid bare in Sports Illustrated. SI SI

Publication: Sports Illustrated

Why it’s important: Stabler was the star quarterback of an iconic Super Bowl winning Oakland Raiders team and his willingness to openly chat about his less-than-ideal-for-a-professional-athlete lifestyle marked him as one of American football’s most colourful characters too. It’s difficult to imagine a player like Tom Brady being as honest today.

Choice quote: 

Yeah, I’ll die here. I really haven’t given much thought to what I’m going to do when I’m done with football. If I was to coach, as a lot of people have suggested, I wouldn’t want to coach anything above the high school level. Not college football and certainly not the pros. But my life-style is too rough—too much booze and babes and cigarettes—to be a high school coach. I’d hardly be a shining example to the young athletes of the future. The quarterbacks I admire most are Bobby Layne and Billy Kilmer—tough, hard-living guys who don’t know how to quit.”

Read it in full here.

3. Kevin Heffernan, interviewed by David Walsh, 1989

Kevin Heffernan spoke about turning Dublin into Heffo's heroes. INPHO / Billy Stickland INPHO / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland

Publication: Magill

Why it’s important: Before David Walsh turned his attention to cycling, he penned one of the most famous GAA pieces ever written when he sat down with Dublin manager Kevin Heffernan to talk about transforming the team from one regarded by many pundits as “useless” into All-Ireland champions over the course of a season.

Choice quote: 

There were four fundamental points: the team had won nothing, it had done nothing, morale was at a low ebb and confidence just was not there. We wanted to create in the players a sense that they had an asset which nobody else had. We were going to make them the fittest team in the country. Winning itself would be a boost but it was more important in justifying our emphasis on the fitness.”

Read it in full here.

4. Jack O’Shea, interviewed by Hogan Stand, 1991

Jack O'Shea celebrates an another All-Ireland win. INPHO / Billy Stickland INPHO / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland

Publication: Hogan Stand

Why it’s important: Despite being widely regarded as the greatest GAA midfielder of them all, Jack O’Shea faced calls to hang up his boots in 1991. He spoke to Hogan Stand about the impact those calls, and the time commitments of the sport, had on his family.

Choice quote: 

Football is very demanding on a family – it has dominated my life for sixteen years and it helps that Mary has a real interest in the game. In a case like that I think either your wife is with you all the way or has absolutely no interest whatsoever in the game.”

Read it in full here.

5. Roy Keane, interviewed by Tommy Gorman, 2002

Broadcaster: RTÉ

Why it’s important: It’s May 2002. The nation of Ireland is still divided over Saipan. We’d heard from the Irish management and some of the Irish players but we’d yet to hear from the star of this particular tragedy. Then, over the course of 40 minutes, Roy Keane explained exactly what went happened on that tiny Pacific island.

Choice quote: 

There’s a lot has been said in the last few days. I’m not really here trying to get anybody on my side. I think it’s important that people know the truth. The final straw was when I was accused of being disloyal, faking injury and going against my teammates in front of everybody and I wouldn’t accept it and still don’t accept that.”

Watch it in full here.

6. LeBron James, interviewed by Grant Wahl, 2002

LeBron James has been ahead of his class for a long time. Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated

Publication: Sports Illustrated

Why it’s important: Before he established himself as the heir to Michael Jordan’s crown, LeBron James was just a highly touted 18-year-old high school kid who found himself on the cover of America’s biggest sports publication. It’s fair to say he lived up to the hype.

Choice quote: 

A lot of players know how to play the game, but they really don’t know how to play the game, if you know what I mean. They can put the ball in the hoop, but I see things before they even happen. You know how a guy can make his team so much better? That’s one thing I learned from watching Jordan.”

Read it in full here.

7. Lance Armstrong, interviewed by Oprah, 2013

Broadcaster: Discovery Channel

Why it’s important: After all the rumours and accusations that he had steadfastly denied over the years, the world watched as Lance Armstrong admitted that he was the ringleader of an elaborate doping scheme on a US Postal Service team that allowed him to claim seven Tour de France victories.

Choice quote: 

I went and looked up the definition of cheat, and the definition is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe. I didn’t view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field. This story was so perfect for so long. It’s this myth, this perfect story, and it wasn’t true.”

Watch it in full here.

8. Ashling Thompson, interviewed by  Daragh Ó Conchúir, 2015

Ashling Thompson in action for Cork. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Publication: Irish Independent

Why it’s important: The Cork camogie star opened up about how the love of her sport helped her deal with depression.

Choice quote: 

I was at training one day and nobody knew. He told me to sit out because I couldn’t even function. He came over and I literally bawled. It was like talking to my father. I mightn’t have been here today only for making that turnover. Because it was going one way or the other for me. It genuinely was.”

Read it in full here.

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