Everyone cheers for the underdog. That’s why we love sports movies— there’s something magical in sports movies. Remember – The Titans, Miracle, and even The Waterboy. However, best sports books, and we mean good sportsbooks, go much farther. Whether we’re learning a lot about something we already care about, digging deep into a whole new topic, or immersing ourselves in a wholly fictitious world in a novel set in a universe different from our own, there will always be more when you’re the one painting the pictures inside your head. Here’s the complete list of the top 50 best motivational books on athletes you can read for motivation. Read the best sports books for atmost inspiration.
-- Advertisement --List of 50 best motivational books on sports and athletes
| S.N | Sports Book | Subject | Author | Buy Here |
| 1 | The Mamba Mentality: How I Play | Kobe Bryant | Kobe Bryant | Check Price |
| 2 | Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United | Alex Ferguson | Sir Alex Ferguson with Michael Moritz | Check Price |
| 3 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods | Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian | Check Price |
| 4 | Beneath The Surface: My Story | Michael Phelps | Michael Phelps and Brian Cazenevue | Check Price |
| 5 | The Boys in the Boat | On America’s Olympic Rowing team of 1936 | Daniel James Brown | Check Price |
| 6 | The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive | Stories of many athletes | Author: Jim Afremow | Check Price |
| 7 | Win Forever | Pete Carroll | Pete Carroll | Check Price |
| 8 | The Test of My Life | Yuvraj Singh | Yuvraj Singh, Sharda Ugra,& Nishant Jeet Arora | Check Price |
| 9 | Ace Against Odds | Sania Mirza | Sania Mirza, Shivani Gupta & Imran Mirza | Check Price |
| 10 | The Greatest: My Own Story | M Ali | Muhammad Ali & Richard Durham | Check Price |
| 11 | Why Soccer Matters | Pele | Pele, Brian Winter | Check Price |
| 12 | The Race of My Life | Milkha Singh | Milkha Singh | Check Price |
| 13 | Golden Girl: The Autobiography of P.T. Usha | PT Usha | P.T. Usha, Lokesh Sharma | Check Price |
| 14 | Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream | High school football team, The Permian High Panthers. | H. G. Bissinge | Check Price |
| 15 | How Bad Do You Want It? | Psychology of Mind Over Muscle | Matt Fitzgerald | Check Price |
| 16 | Playing It My Way: My Autobiography | Sachin Tendulkar | Sachin Tendulkar | Check Price |
| 17 | The Greatest: My Own Story | Mohammed Ali | Muhammad Ali; Richard Durham | Check Price |
| 18 | Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen | On greatest Races | Christopher McDougall | Check Price |
| 19 | Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption | biography of World War II hero Louis Zamperini | Laura Hillenbrand | Check Price |
| 20 | Finding Ultra | Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men | Rich Roll | Check Price |
| 21 | Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski | work on Coach K | Ian O’Connor | Check Price |
| 22 | No Spin: My Autobiography | Shane Warn | Shane Warne | Check Price |
| 23 | Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar | Rip-Roaring | Alan Shipnuck | Check Price |
| 24 | What I Talk About When I Talk About Running | Murakami’s journey and experience of long-distance running | Haruki Murakami | Check Price |
| 25 | Breathe: A Life in Flow | Rickson Gracie | Gracie, Rickson, Maguire, Peter, Willink, Jocko | Check Price |
| 26 | Touching the Void | Adventure | Joe Simpson | Check Price |
| 27 | A Shot at History | Abhinav Bindra | Abhinav Bindra, Rohit Brijnath | Check Price |
| 28 | Dreams of a Billion: India and the Olympic Games | Indian Olympic | Boria Majumdar | Check Price |
| 29 | Golden Girl – The Autobiography of P.T. Usha | Autobiography of P.T. Usha | PT Usha and Lokesh Sharma | Check Price |
| 30 | Unbreakable- Mary Kom | Autobiography of Mary Kom | Mary Kom and Dina Serto | Check Price |
| 31 | Playing To Win – Saina Nehwal | Autobiography of Saina Nehwal | Saina Nehwal | Check Price |
| 32 | Free Hit – A Story of Women’s Cricket in India | Women’scricket in India | Suprita Das | Check Price |
| 33 | She Dared | Women in Indian Sports | Sanjeeb Mukherjea | Check Price |
| 34 | Women and Sport in India and the World | Women in Sports | Karmanye Thadani | Check Price |
| 35 | Fiercely Female | The Dutee Chand Story | Sundeep Misra | Check Price |
| 36 | Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win | Women in Sports | Rachel Ignotofsky | Check Price |
| 37 | Dipa Karmakar: The Small Wonder | Dipa Karmakar | Bishweshwar Nandi, Digvijay Singh Deo and Vimal Mohan | Check Price |
| 38 | Anywhere But Home | – | Anu Vaidyanathan | Check Price |
| 39 | A sportswoman in India | – | Savory Isabel | Check Price |
| 40 | Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P.V. Sindhu | PV Sindhu | Krishnaswamy V | Check Price |
| 41 | Born to Bat: Mithali Raj | Mithali Raj | Arthy Muthanna Singh | Check Price |
| 42 | Unguarded: An Autobiography | Autobiography of Mithali Raj | Mithali Raj | Check Price |
| 43 | Riding Free: My Olympic Journey | Imtiaz Anees | Imtiaz Anees | Check Price |
| 44 | A Century Is Not Enough | Sourav Ganguly | Sourav Ganguly | Check Price |
| 45 | CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS | Shoaib Akhtar | Anshu Dogra and Shoaib Akhtar | Check Price |
| 46 | Six Machine: I Don’t Like Cricket … I Love It | Chris Gayle | Chris Gayle | Check Price |
| 47 | The Virender Sehwag Story | Virendra Sehwag | Vijay Lokapally | Check Price |
| 48 | Faster Than Lightning: My Autobiography | Usain Bolt | Matt Allen and Usain Bolt | Check Price |
| 49 | Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Force 7. Volumen 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Cristiano Ronaldo | Check Price |
| 50 | Born Again on the Mountain: How I Lost Everything and Found It Back | Arunima Sinha | Arunima Sinha | Check Price |
The Mamba Mentality: How I Play
Author: Kobe Bryant
Since its release in 2018, this sports book by famous all-star athlete Kobe Bryant has been a fan favorite. The basketball great goes on to describe his position in the game and how he approaches it with a strong mentality and something he refers to as “the Mamba Mentality,” which he considers to be his secret to success.
Bryant, a teacher, mentor, and fan favourite, has given a lot of people a gift in the form of this book, a how-to guide for young players all around the world to play in his manner. Bryant, as one of the most successful and innovative players, offers some advice for future players or anybody looking to break into the game. A must-read for any basketball enthusiast or prospective player. A perfect inspirational book for all.
-- Advertisement --Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United
Author: Sir Alex Ferguson with Michael Moritz
Tiger Woods
Author: Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian
The true underlying sports book on the story of Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers of all time, was the basis for the HBO series directed by Alex Gibney. The horrific narrative of the superstar’s youth, relationship with his father, and limited focus on golf and how he grew to be the finest golfer in history is revealed in greater detail than ever before. It an inspirational book on the life of one of the greatest athlete of the modern era.
-- Advertisement --Beneath The Surface: My Story
Author: Michael Phelps and Brian Cazenevue
Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps takes us behind the scenes of his life before and after the spotlight in this riveting biography. He talks about his ADD issues, his parent’s divorce, and how being in the spotlight affected him both in and out of the pool. Phelps, like every great athlete, tells his tale in front of the world, open and honest, moving and sad.
-- Advertisement --The inner lives of sportsmen are usually a mystery to most people, but when they open up in a memoir, we get a rare glimpse into their souls. Michael Phelps has a tale for you if you’re interested in swimming, the inner workings of high-level athletes, or just enjoy the Olympics.
The Boys in the Boat
Author: Daniel James Brown
Rowing is one of America’s oldest and most respected sports, and Daniel James Brown has written a beautiful and fascinating narrative of the nine young men who competed for Olympic gold in 1936. This horrific tale and the struggle for Olympic glory is told via individual accounts. Brown transports us from Seattle, Washington, to Berlin’s waterways, where the boat’s lads must make their final claim to triumph. All sports enthusiasts will enjoy this stunning, fascinating and one amongst the best motivational books.
The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive
Author: Jim Afremow
This motivational book by sports psychologist Jim Afremow, Ph.D., is more than a handbook; it teaches us how to live like a pro athlete by sharing their tales, achievements, and failures. Why not investigate how the pros do it to improve your own abilities? The mental challenge, the competitive edge they thrive on during a race or game, is the most essential aspect of sports, although the physical ability is also vital. Can you shift your mentality in order to succeed on the court? Is it possible to improve your pitch or stroke? Afremow demonstrates how humans can change and provides a fantastic guide on how to do it, complete with workouts, tips, and techniques.
Win Forever
Author: Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll originally gained notoriety as the head coach of the USC Trojans, who won six bowl games and the BCS National Championship during his tenure. He went on to lead the Seattle Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl victory after moving to the NFL. Carroll has a proven track record of exceptional achievement, and in this best motivational books, he offers his methods to creating a winning lifestyle and attitude. While this may sound like a conventional self-help book, Carrol’s advice for playing and living like a champion has a lot more to offer.
The Test of My Life
Author: Yuvraj Singh, Sharda Ugra,& Nishant Jeet Arora
Yuvraj Singh’s struggle with illness and subsequent victory is the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and his book ” The test of My Life” is one of the best motivational books available in the market.
Even after all these years, the moment he broke down on the field after India won the World Cup in 2011 still makes us cry. More so since he was performing despite the knowledge that he was suffering from throat cancer.
Yuvraj has detailed his ‘journey from cricket to cancer and back’ in his autobiography, including the days he spent alone in Indianapolis during his treatment.
Ace Against Odds
Author: Sania Mirza, Shivani Gupta & Imran Mirza
Sania Mirza, a former world doubles number one in tennis, is an inspiration to millions of female athletes who want to break into the sport.
Sania made her impact in a sport that isn’t well-known in India and is dominated by males. She was rated number one in India for nine years in a row.
The book chronicles the highs and lows of her journey, as well as what went on behind the scenes in the life of the celebrity, even when everything looked to be perfect on the surface.
The Greatest: My Own Story
Author: Muhammad Ali & Richard Durham
“Let them remember you as a Conqueror, never come back beaten.”
Muhammad Ali’s autobiography, which is jam-packed with quotes like these, will inspire you, give you chills, and give you a glimpse into The Greatest’s life. One of the greatest & best motivational books ever written. This book will give you a hell of motivation.
Why Soccer Matters
Author: Pele, Brian Winter
Pele is without a doubt one of the greatest players to ever play the beautiful game, and his book is a fascinating account of what soccer can achieve.
Read this to learn about soccer’s recent history as well as new insights into the game’s function in uniting and energizing players all around the world.
The Race of My Life
Author: Milkha Singh
His prowess on the racetrack earned him the moniker “Flying Sikh,”. He has spent his whole life running, sometimes from places, sometimes from circumstances.
Milkha’s life altered when he joined the army after escaping death during partition and subsequently escaping police after stealing.
He ran for the military and subsequently for the country, finishing fourth in the 1960 Olympics and losing out on an Olympic medal. Milkha Singh‘s life is like something out of a movie, and his autobiography is a must-read.
Golden Girl: The Autobiography of P.T. Usha
Author: P.T. Usha, Lokesh Sharma
Another sprinter, another nail-biting finale.
PT Usha lost out on a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics by a hundredth of a second, but her efforts were not in futile. She is and will always be an inspiration to every person on the planet. PT Usha’s autobiography, aptly titled Golden Girl, is full of inspiration and should be on everyone’s reading list.
Thanks for sharing Niranjan