taekwondo is a martial art that was born in Korea and has gained worldwide prominence both as a sport and as a practice of self-defense. With its fast and powerful kicking techniques, the sport has won over a legion of fans and produced great athletes over the decades.
With these athletes in mind, we have developed a list of the 20 best male taekwondists of all time! Throughout history, many have excelled in taekwondo, leaving their mark on international competitions and contributing to the growth and popularization of the sport.
Their achievements inspire new practitioners and raise the competitive standard every year. So follow the trajectory of the best male taekwondists of all time!
Find out more about their achievements, teams, curiosities about their life paths and more!
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Top 20 male taekwondists of all time: complete list
- Hadi Saei
- Steven Lopez
- Moon Dae-sung
- Servet Tazegül
- Hwang Kyung-seon
- Carlo Molfetta
- Joel González
- Aaron Cook
- Lee Dae-hoon
- Wu Jingyu
- Milad Beigi Harchegani
- Farzad Zolghadri
- Sebastian Crismanich
- Mahmoud Haidari
- Pascal Gentil
- Rashad Ahmadov
- Mohammad Bagheri Motamed
- Cha Dong-min
- Alexandros Nikolaidis
- Kim So-hui
20 best male taekwondists of all time: find out more about the athletes
1. Hadi Saei
- Titles: Two-time Olympic Champion (2004, 2008), World Champion (1999, 2005).
- Team: Iran.
- Trivia: Considered one of the greatest taekwondists of all time, known for his refined technique and ability to adapt.
- Life Story: He started training Taekwondo at the age of 6 and quickly excelled in youth competitions. His dedication and talent took him to the top of the sport.
2. Steven Lopez
- Titles: Two-time Olympic Champion (2000, 2004), Five-time World Champion.
- Team: USA.
- Fun facts: First person to win five Taekwondo world championships.
- Life Story: Born into a family of Cuban immigrants, Lopez began training Taekwondo with his brothers, who also became champions.
3. Moon Dae-sung
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2004), Asian Champion.
- Team: South Korea.
- Fun facts: Known for the iconic flip kick that won him Olympic gold in Athens.
- Life Story: After retiring, he became a member of the International Olympic Committee.
4. Servet Tazegül
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2012), Two-time European Champion.
- Team: Turkey.
- Fun facts: Recognized for his speed and superior kicking technique.
- Life Story: Started Taekwondo at the age of 8 and quickly rose to international competitions.
5. Hwang Kyung-seon
- Titles: Two-time Olympic Champion (2008, 2012), World Champion.
- Team: South Korea.
- Fun facts: Absolute dominance in the women’s category, with several consecutive victories.
- Life Story: Became involved in Taekwondo from a very young age, becoming an icon of the sport.
6. Carlo Molfetta
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2012), European Champion.
- Team: Italy.
- Fun facts: First Italian to win Olympic gold in Taekwondo.
- Life Story: Faced several injuries during his career, but always came back stronger.
7. Joel González
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2012), Two-time World Champion.
- Team: Spain.
- Fun facts: He has managed to win important titles in a short space of time.
- Life Story: As well as being an athlete, he has a degree in Engineering.
8. Aaron Cook
- Titles: European Champion, Multi-World Medalist.
- Team: Great Britain/Moldova.
- Fun facts: Known for his controversial change of nationality to compete for Moldova.
- Life Story: Moved to Moldova to continue his Olympic career after disagreements with the British team.
9. Lee Dae-hoon
- Titles: World Champion, Multi-Olympic medalist.
- Team: South Korea.
- Fun facts: Considered a Taekwondo prodigy from a young age.
- Life Story: Began his international career at the age of 17, quickly becoming a star.
10. Wu Jingyu
- Titles: Two-time Olympic Champion (2008, 2012), Two-time World Champion.
- Team: China.
- Fun facts: Dominated the women’s lightweight category for several years.
Life Story: Trained Taekwondo since childhood and quickly made a name for herself on the world stage.
11. Milad Beigi Harchegani
- Titles: World Champion, European Multi-medalist.
- Team: Azerbaijan.
- Fun facts: Originally from Iran, he changed nationality to compete for Azerbaijan.
- Life Story: His change of nationality was a strategic decision to better compete internationally.
12. Farzad Zolghadri
- Titles: Multi-medalist in World and Asian Championships.
- Team: Iran.
- Fun facts: Known for his endurance and technical ability.
- Life Story: From a young age, he was influenced by other big names in Iranian Taekwondo.
13. Sebastian Crismanich
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2012).
- Team: Argentina.
- Fun facts: First Argentine to win a gold medal in Taekwondo.
- Life Story: Became a national hero after his Olympic victory.
14. Mahmoud Haidari
- Titles: Asian Champion, Multi-World Medalist.
- Team: Iran.
- Fun facts: Famous for his front kick technique.
- Life Story: Trained in adverse conditions and stood out for his determination.
15. Pascal Gentil
- Titles: Two-time European Champion, Multi-Olympic medalist.
- Team: France.
- Fun facts: Known for his height and reach, which gave him an advantage on the mats.
- Life Story: As well as being an athlete, he also worked as a model and actor.
16. Rashad Ahmadov
- Titles: European Champion, World Multi-medalist.
- Team: Azerbaijan.
- Fun facts: One of the pioneers of Taekwondo in Azerbaijan.
- Life Story: Contributed significantly to the popularization of the sport in his country.
17. Mohammad Bagheri Motamed
- Titles: World Champion, Olympic Medalist.
- Team: Iran.
- Fun facts: His aggressive and effective style has made him one of the most feared competitors.
- Life Story: From an early age he showed great promise, quickly excelling in international competitions.
18. Cha Dong-min
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2008), Asian Champion.
- Team: South Korea.
- Fun facts: Won in Beijing 2008 in a dramatic final.
- Life Story: After his career as an athlete, he dedicated himself to training new talents.
19. Alexandros Nikolaidis
- Titles: Two-time Olympic Champion, European Champion.
- Team: Greece.
- Fun facts: Known for his resilience and for competing even after serious injuries.
- Life Story: Became a symbol of perseverance and determination in Greece.
20. Kim So-hui
- Titles: Olympic Champion (2016), World Champion.
- Team: South Korea.
- Fun facts: He stood out for his speed and precision in his strikes.
Life Story: From a young age, he showed great talent and quickly rose to the top of the sport.
Top 20 male taekwondists of all time: complete list
- Hadi Saei
- Steven Lopez
- Moon Dae-sung
- Servet Tazegül
- Hwang Kyung-seon
- Carlo Molfetta
- Joel González
- Aaron Cook
- Lee Dae-hoon
- Wu Jingyu
- Milad Beigi Harchegani
- Farzad Zolghadri
- Sebastian Crismanich
- Mahmoud Haidari
- Pascal Gentil
- Rashad Ahmadov
- Mohammad Bagheri Motamed
- Cha Dong-min
- Alexandros Nikolaidis
- Kim So-hui
20 best male taekwondists of all time
The 20 best taekwondists men of all time not only reached the pinnacle of their sporting careers, but also positively influenced the practice of taekwondo around the world.
Their life stories inspire and motivate millions of practitioners, from beginners to elite athletes, to strive for excellence in sport and in their personal lives!
If you enjoyed meeting these athletes, take the opportunity to continue browsing the site and check out more news and articles about taekwondo and many other sports!
