The greatest snooker players of all time

The modern game of snooker owes a big part of what it has become to Joe Davis, who is often credited as the man that started it all. Davis helped to organise the first ever World Championship in 1927, which he went on to win that year and for the next 14 consecutive years. He retired having never lost a match at the World Championship and no one has ever surpassed his 15 titles.

Fred Davis, brother of snooker legend Joe, was a dominant force in his own right during the mid-20th century. An eight-time World Champion, he won consecutive titles between 1948 and 1956 and remained a competitive figure well into his later years.

Known for his tactical acumen and sportsmanship, Davis contributed significantly to the development of professional snooker and was a bridge between the game's early years and the modern era. The Davis brothers were the only two players to win both snooker and English billiards world championships. Fred remains the second most successful player of all time in the number of world championship titles.

Dominating the game in the 1970s, 'Dracula', nicknamed because of his hairstyle, is known for adding a sense of humour to a serious game, often engaging the crowd with jokes mid break. He won his first World Championship in 1970, along with five further titles throughout his career. He was also the game’s first ever world number one when the rankings were introduced in 1976.

Steve Davis is often thought to be snooker's first superstar due to his domination of the sport in the 80s. 'The Nugget' won six world titles before retiring in April 2016 at the age of 59. His most famous match was the 1985 World Championship Final against Dennis Taylor known as ‘The Black Ball Final’ which was watched by a staggering 18.5 million people in the UK. Opponent Dennis Taylor won the contest on the final black ball in the final frame.

Taylor is best known for winning the World Championship in 1985, beating World number one Steve Davis on the final black in the final frame, in a match watched by 18.5 million people in the UK. He also won the Grand Prix in 1984 and the Masters in 1987, and of course, is well known for his trademark oversized glasses.

Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins was famous for his wild and destructive lifestyle as well as for his sporting brilliance. He won two world titles, the UK Championship and two Masters titles, making him one of only 10 players to complete snooker’s Triple Crown. After a decline in health, Alex passed sadly away in 2010 at the age of 61.

Whilst never winning a World Championship, Jimmy ‘The Whirlwind’ White has made it to six finals making him the most talented player to never win the biggest prize in the sport, although he has won both The Masters and the UK Championship. In 1992, he became only the second player to make a maximum break at the World Championship.

The youngest ever World Champion (aged 21 in 1990), in his 27 years in the sport, Hendry also topped the world rankings for eight consecutive seasons, had seven world title wins, six Masters titles and five UK Championship wins. It's no wonder that to many is he is thought of as the greatest snooker player of all time.

Ronnie ‘The Rocket’ O'Sullivan is widely regarded as the modern star of the game and one of the most naturally gifted players of all time. He is the holder of seven World Championships, six Masters titles and five UK Championships and he's not slowing down yet. He is also a three-time record holder, as the youngest player to have won the Masters (winning at the age of 19 years and 69 days), for the most maximum breaks (15 in competition) and the fastest ever 147. He became the oldest-ever UK champion in 2023 with his victory over Ding Junhu, winning a record-extending eighth UK title.

John won four World Championships and three UK Championships, as well as two Masters titles, making him one of the most successful players in the modern history of snooker. The ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ never dropping below number six in the world rankings between 1996 and 2012 and has overcome a newspaper sting and damaging match-fixing allegations in to remain a top contender in the sport.

Mark Williams, known as the 'Welsh Potting Machine', is one of snooker’s most accomplished players. A three-time World Champion (2000, 2003, and 2018), he is renowned for his unflappable temperament and exceptional long potting ability – hence the nickname. Williams has won over 20 ranking titles, cementing his place as one of the 'Class of '92' alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins. His thrilling 18-16 victory over Higgins at the 2018 World Championship, aged 43, was a remarkable career resurgence for one of the tour’s best-loved players.

Judd Trump is a trailblazer of modern snooker, blending flair and precision to excite a new generation of snooker fans. Victorious at the 2019 World Championships, he has amassed 30 ranking titles and holds the record for the most ranking titles in a single season (six in 2019-2020). Known for his attacking play and creative shot-making, Trump has won all Triple Crown events, solidifying his status as one of the greats of snooker's modern era. Still only in his 30s, it seems highly likely that numerous more world titles will follow.

Mark is a four-time World Snooker Champion, three-time Masters winner and double UK Champion. The ‘Jester from Leicester’ has a total of nine Triple Crown titles, and became the sixth player to win all of snooker's Triple Crown events at least twice. Having been world number one in snooker on eight separate occasions, Selby is also a professional pool player. He won the 2006 WEPF eight-ball pool world championship and was a 2015 Chinese Pool World Championship finalist. He’s the only player on this list to have been world champion in both snooker and pool.