1980s Sports Quiz

Put your sports trivia skills to the test with our detailed quiz on 1980s sports. From memorable athletes to significant achievements, see how much you know about this dynamic decade in sports.

50 Question Quiz

1. Who did the Daily Express newspaper nickname "SuperBrat"?
2. In which year were 'Botham's Ashes'?
3. Who was coached by his wife, Margot?
4. Which footballer became the first Englishman to be sent off at the 1986 World Cup?
5. On November 22, 1986, who did Mike Tyson beat to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history?
6. An athlete from which country surprisingly beat Steve Ovett into third place in the 1980 Summer Olympics 1500 metres final?
7. Who became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup in 1982?
8. Who dominated men's British table tennis in the 1980s?
9. In a football incident in February 1988, who was famously photographed grabbing Paul Gascoigne by his testicles?
10. Which driver won the F1 World Drivers' Championship in 1981, 1983, and 1987?
11. Australian Robert de Castella was a world champion in which event?
12. Which club did Kevin Keegan join after leaving Hamburg?
13. Who did Boris Becker beat in 1985 to become the youngest male Grand Slam champion?
14. Which country did New Zealand defeat to win the first-ever Rugby World Cup?
15. Which American track athlete became the fastest woman ever?
16. Jarmila Kratochvilova set the world record for which athletics event in 1983, which as of 2024 is the longest-standing world record in athletics?
17. Who succeeded in taking the Overall British Title in 1980 in women's gymnastics?
18. Carl Lewis was a member of which athletics club?
19. Which footballer provided the assisting cross for Trevor Francis to score the only goal when Nottingham Forest won the 1979 European Cup Final?
20. Who was the world number-one female darts player in the 1980s?
21. What was the nickname of William Perry, an American football defensive tackle who played with the Chicago Bears?
22. Which snooker player was reported to have successfully claimed the cost of 6 pints of lager before every match as a tax deduction?
23. In 1986, what had its centre of gravity moved forwards by four centimetres?
24. In which year was the "Hand of God" goal scored by Diego Maradona?
25. Who was the trainer of Grand National winner Corbiere?
26. Who partnered Martina Navratilova to win all four doubles majors in 1984?
27. Who was Brian Clough talking about when he said, "I am the shop window and he is the goods in the back"?
28. The 1984 Winter Olympics were held in which communist city?
29. Which country's national bobsled team received major media attention at the 1988 Winter Olympics?
30. Which Rotherham-born runner won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 1988 Olympic Games?
31. In the qualifying round of the 1986 European Athletics Championships, who became the first British athlete to set a world record in a throwing event?
32. Which player scored twenty-seven seconds after kick-off in England’s opening match against France in the 1982 World Cup?
33. Which British athlete had a remarkable season in 1982 and broke the 5,000 metres World Record by 5.79 seconds?
34. Which 1987 Wimbledon winner climbed into the stands to celebrate, starting a tradition that has continued ever since?
35. Which 1986 event is memorable due to the battle between Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault?
36. Who became, in 1985, the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
37. Between 1981 and 1986, Jahangir Khan won 555 matches in a row in which sport?
38. Born in Venezuela, who played 93 Tests for France between 1980 and 1991?
39. In 1987, aged 15, which female swimmer broke the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle marks, and went on to win three golds at the 1988 Seoul Olympics?
40. Who broke the world record for men's pole vault 35 times?
41. Who followed up his London Marathon success with a bronze medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles?
42. Whose rivalry with Jurgen Hingsen was legendary throughout the 1980s?
43. Which footballer was drenched in blood after sustaining a head wound in a World Cup qualifier against Sweden?
44. Who became the first British golfer since Tony Jacklin to win The Open Championship in 1985?
45. Which swimmer won the gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 1988 Summer Olympics?
46. Which British female athlete won a silver medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the 1984 Olympic Games?
47. Name the captain of the England rugby union team who took England to an unexpected 1980 Grand Slam win?
48. Can you name the English figure skating coach best known as the coach of 1984 champions Torvill and Dean?
49. Which Ipswich Town goalkeeper had a reputation for stopping penalties?
50. American Greg Louganis was an Olympic champion in which sport?

Answers

1. Who did the Daily Express newspaper nickname "SuperBrat"?
   ANSWER: John McEnroe
2. In which year were Botham's Ashes?
   ANSWER: 1981
3. Who was coached by his wife, Margot?
   ANSWER: Allan Wells
4. Which footballer became the first Englishman to be sent off at the 1986 World Cup?
   ANSWER: Ray Wilkins
5. On November 22, 1986, who did Mike Tyson beat to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history?
   ANSWER: Trevor Berbick
6. An athlete from which country surprisingly beat Steve Ovett into third place in the 1980 Summer Olympics 1500 metres final?
   ANSWER: East Germany
7. Who became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup in 1982?
   ANSWER: Aston Villa
8. Who dominated men's British table tennis in the 1980s?
   ANSWER: Desmond Douglas
9. In a football incident in February 1988, who was famously photographed grabbing Paul Gascoigne by his testicles?
   ANSWER: Vinnie Jones
10. Which driver won the F1 World Drivers' Championship in 1981, 1983, and 1987?
    ANSWER: Nelson Piquet
11. Australian Robert de Castella was a world champion in which event?
    ANSWER: Marathon
12. Which club did Kevin Keegan join after leaving Hamburg?
    ANSWER: Southampton
13. Who did Boris Becker beat in 1985 to become the youngest male Grand Slam champion?
    ANSWER: Kevin Curren
14. Which country did New Zealand defeat to win the first-ever Rugby World Cup?
    ANSWER: France (1987)
15. Which American track athlete became the fastest woman ever?
    ANSWER: Flo-Jo, Florence Joyner
16. Jarmila Kratochvilova set the world record for which athletics event in 1983, which as of 2024 is the longest-standing world record in athletics?
    ANSWER: 800 metres
17. Who succeeded in taking the Overall British Title in 1980 in women's gymnastics?
    ANSWER: Suzanne Dando
18. Carl Lewis was a member of which athletics club?
    ANSWER: Santa Monica Track Club
19. Which footballer provided the assisting cross for Trevor Francis to score the only goal when Nottingham Forest won the 1979 European Cup Final?
    ANSWER: John Robertson
20. Who was the world number-one female darts player in the 1980s?
    ANSWER: Maureen Flowers
21. What was the nickname of William Perry, an American football defensive tackle who played with the Chicago Bears?
    ANSWER: The Refrigerator
22. Which snooker player was reported to have successfully claimed the cost of 6 pints of lager before every match as a tax deduction?
    ANSWER: Bill Werbeniuk
23. In 1986, what had its centre of gravity moved forwards by four centimetres?
    ANSWER: Javelin
24. In which year was the "Hand of God" goal scored by Diego Maradona?
    ANSWER: 1986 FIFA World Cup
25. Who was the trainer of Grand National winner Corbiere?
    ANSWER: Jenny Pitman
26. Who partnered Martina Navratilova to win all four doubles majors in 1984?
    ANSWER: Pam Shriver
27. Who was Brian Clough talking about when he said, "I am the shop window and he is the goods in the back"?
    ANSWER: Peter Taylor
28. The 1984 Winter Olympics were held in which communist city?
    ANSWER: Sarajevo
29. Which country's national bobsled team received major media attention at the 1988 Winter Olympics?
    ANSWER: Jamaica
30. Which Rotherham-born runner won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 1988 Olympic Games?
    ANSWER: Peter Elliott
31. In the qualifying round of the 1986 European Athletics Championships, who became the first British athlete to set a world record in a throwing event?
    ANSWER: Fatima Whitbread
32. Which player scored twenty-seven seconds after kick-off in England’s opening match against France in the 1982 World Cup?
    ANSWER: Bryan Robson
33. Which British athlete had a remarkable season in 1982 and broke the 5,000 metres World Record by 5.79 seconds?
    ANSWER: David Moorcroft
34. Which 1987 Wimbledon winner climbed into the stands to celebrate, starting a tradition that has continued ever since?
    ANSWER: Pat Cash
35. Which 1986 event is memorable due to the battle between Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault?
    ANSWER: The Tour de France
36. Who became, in 1985, the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year?
    ANSWER: Barry McGuigan
37. Between 1981 and 1986, Jahangir Khan won 555 matches in a row in which sport?
    ANSWER: Squash
38. Born in Venezuela, who played 93 Tests for France between 1980 and 1991?
    ANSWER: Serge Blanco
39. In 1987, aged 15, which female swimmer broke the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle marks, and went on to win three golds at the 1988 Seoul Olympics?
    ANSWER: Janet Evans
40. Who broke the world record for men's pole vault 35 times?
    ANSWER: Sergey Bubka
41. Who followed up his London Marathon success with a bronze medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles?
    ANSWER: Charlie Spedding
42. Whose rivalry with Jurgen Hingsen was legendary throughout the 1980s?
    ANSWER: Daley Thompson
43. Which footballer was drenched in blood after sustaining a head wound in a World Cup qualifier against Sweden?
    ANSWER: Terry Butcher (1989)
44. Who became the first British golfer since Tony Jacklin to win The Open Championship in 1985?
    ANSWER: Sandy Lyle
45. Which swimmer won the gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 1988 Summer Olympics?
    ANSWER: Adrian Moorhouse
46. Which British female athlete won a silver medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the 1984 Olympic Games?
    ANSWER: Shirley Strong
47. Name the captain of the England rugby union team who took England to an unexpected 1980 Grand Slam win?
    ANSWER: Bill Beaumont
48. Can you name the English figure skating coach best known as the coach of 1984 champions Torvill and Dean?
    ANSWER: Betty Callaway
49. Which Ipswich Town goalkeeper had a reputation for stopping penalties?
    ANSWER: Paul Cooper
50. American Greg Louganis was an Olympic champion in which sport?
    ANSWER: Diving (springboard and platform)