Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (born 1985) is recognised as one of the best - and most charitable - footballers of his era. The Real Madrid striker is a five-time Fifa Ballon d'Or winner, with major trophies from the English Premier League with Manchester United - the club he joined when he was 17 years old - and the Champions League, of which he is an all-time top scorer.

Six hours of training per day, incredible talent and lots of self-confidence all paid off for Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci (born 1961). She was the first gymnast in history to score the ‘perfect 10’ at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, proving that perfection can be achieved through persistence. Comaneci, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, is now a passionate leader of a gymnastic academy for teenagers.

Robert Lewandowski (born 1988) is not only an icon of Polish and European football and one of the best strikers in the world, but also a successful entrepreneur. He invests mostly in innovative business ideas and promising startups. His civic engagement in charities supporting disadvantaged families and kids made him one of the most respected personalities in Polish public life.

Winning a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics at the age of 15, swimmer Rūta Meilutytė (born 1997) became one of the youngest gold medallists ever. Born in Lithuania, she now lives and trains in the UK. She is the only swimmer in history to hold the Olympic, World and European titles at both senior and youth levels at the same time.