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SCMP Reporter

Hong Kong has played host to some of the world’s biggest names in sport, including football greats Pelé and Diego Maradona, boxing legend Muhammad Ali, tennis stars Steffi Graf and Serena Williams, and many more.
Here, we delve into the South China Morning Post’s photographic archives to revisit the times when these superstars graced the city’s sporting venues and impressed local fans.











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From our archives

In pictures: sports icons in Hong Kong, from Pelé to Serena Williams

Football legend Pele in action for his team Santos in an exhibition game against British side Newcastle at the Hongkong Stadium in 1972. Photo: SCMP Archives

Soccer megastar Pelé (in white shirt) of Brazilian team Santos in action against a Hong Kong League XI at the Hong Kong Stadium in 1970. Photo: SCMP Archives

Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali visits Kai Tak East Refugee Transit Centre in 1979. Photo: SCMP Archives

Argentina’s soccer superstar Diego Maradona arrives with his team Boca Juniors at Kai Tak Airport in 1982. Photo: SCMP Archives

Maradona, clad in the jersey of the Hong Kong-based Seiko soccer team, holds a trophy after his team Boca Juniors beat Seiko 2-0 at the Hong Kong Stadium, in 1982. Photo: SCMP Archives

Doug Mountjoy in action against Steve Davis during the Hong Kong Camus Masters Snooker Tournament in 1983. Photo: SCMP Archives

Golf star Gary Player at the opening ceremony of Hong Kong’s first public golf course, at Kau Sai Chau in Sai Kung, in 1995. Photo: SCMP Archives

German tennis star Steffi Graf takes part in the Super-Power Challenge Cup, at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay in 1999. Photo: SCMP Archives

Tennis ace Serena Williams signs autographs for young fans after playing an exhibition match in Victoria Park in 2002. Photo: SCMP Archives

The NBA’s Kobe Bryant at Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai during his Asia tour in 2009. Photo: SCMP Archives

Shaquille O’Neal talks martial arts films, friendship, and doing business in China

Shaquille O’Neal, American basketball legend, is helping spearhead the NBA’s return to China. Photo: courtesy Authentic Brands Group

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is leveraging his brand and building relationships in China. Photo: courtesy Authentic Brands Group

Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal takes selfies with staff of HUPU Sports in Shanghai in 2017. Photo: Getty Images

Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic in a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on November 21, 1992. Photo: Getty Images

Shaquille O’Neal poses with a fan during his trip to Macau for the 2025 NBA China Games last month. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

Shaq performs 100 nights a year as DJ Diesel. Photo: Handout

In pictures: Hong Kong’s most enthusiastic stamp collectors

Eager philatelists in Hong Kong carefully stick a set of stamps onto first-day covers inside a post office in 1986. The stamps were issued to commemorate the Queen’s 60th birthday. Photo: SCMP Archives

Chung Siu-hong gets an early Christmas present in 1983. Three days earlier, the 10-year-old had lost his stamp collection in a squatter area blaze in Cha Kwo Ling. Learning of his plight, Robin Hutcheon, the editor of the South China Morning Post, sent him a 50-year-old album containing stamps from all over the world. Photo: SCMP Archives

A collector buys first-day covers of four stamps depicting the development of local aviation, on their release day in 1984. Photo: SCMP Archives

A philatelist sorts his stamps at a post office in 1984. Photo: SCMP Archives

Stamps commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s 60th birthday are stuck onto first-day covers in a post office in 1986. Photo: SCMP Archives

Stamp collectors queue to buy the first-day covers of Year of the Horse editions in 1990. Photo: SCMP Archives

Collectors buy first-day covers celebrating the 150th anniversary of Hong Kong’s Post Office, in Central, in 1991. Photo: SCMP Archives

The first-day cover issue commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Hong Kong Post Office. Photo: SCMP Archives

Colin Harding of Britain’s Scotia Philately displays his rare collection of stamps. Harding was in Hong Kong to attend a stamp exhibition at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in 1994. Photo: SCMP Archives

Young enthusiasts (from left) Terry Chau, Curtis Lan, Jason Chow and Leo Tao are among the thousands of stamp collectors who flocked to post offices across Hong Kong for the Year of the Pig issue, in 1995. Photo: SCMP Archives

More than 40,000 people turn up to buy new issues of stamps at Asia’s largest stamp exhibition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in 1994. About 5,000 collectors were turned away when all the souvenir editions were sold out. Photo: SCMP Archives

Hong Kong star cyclist Wong Kam-po shows a commemoration set for the 1996 Olympic Games the day before the stamps went on sale. Photo: SCMP Archives

People queue at a post office to buy the final issue of Hong Kong stamps printed with Queen Elizabeth’s image, in 1997. Photo: SCMP Archives

The first-day cover editions of SAR stamps at the General Post Office on July 1, 1997. Photo: SCMP Archives

Ann Leung Chin-man, 11, began queuing at the General Post Office at 6am to buy first-day covers of SAR stamps on July 1, 1997. Photo: SCMP Archives

In pictures: what Hong Kong’s mobile phones of the 1980s and 90s looked like

A man talking on a mobile phone in 1989. At the time, only the wealthy could afford hand-held devices. Photo: SCMP Archives

Yam Yau-ban, the chief engineer of China Telecom, gives a demonstration of a mobile phone in 1984. The 4kg telephone set could make local and international calls from anywhere in Hong Kong, except the outlying islands. Photo: SCMP Archives 

A mobile phone mascot at a fun fair organised by CSL at Queen’s Pier in Central, in 1988. Photo: SCMP Archives 

A man talking on a mobile phone in 1990. Photo: SCMP Archives 

Legislator Allen Lee Peng-fei (left) and Pacific Link chief executive Henry Goldstein at the launch ceremony of the company’s network in 1989. Photo: SCMP Archives 

A man using his mobile phone while waiting for his shoe to be fixed in 1993. Photo: SCMP Archives 

Tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung speaking on the phone at Victoria Park, in 1993. Photo: SCMP Archives

Secretary for trade and industry Brian Chau Tak-hay (centre left) using a mobile phone during an MTR ride in 1993. Hubert Ng (right) was director of Hong Kong Telecom CSL Mobile. Photo: SCMP Archives

Pop star Jacky Cheung Hok-yau talking on his mobile phone backstage before a concert in Shanghai, organised by RTHK, in 1993. Photo: SCMP Archives

Legislator Christine Loh Kung-wai talking on her mobile phone outside the Central Government Offices in 1993. Photo: SCMP Archives

Kai Yun Telecom director Patricia Yeung Shuk-kwan with different mobile phones and other devices in 1995. Photo: SCMP Archives

In pictures: Hong Kong’s ‘Poor Man’s Nightclub’, a popular outdoor bazaar in the 1980s

Hungry tourists at one of Tai Tat Tei’s lively open-air restaurants in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, in 1986. Photo: SCMP Archives

Stalls in Tai Tat Tei, or the “Poor Man’s Nightclub”, in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan in 1984. Photo: SCMP Archives

Customers peruse shirts for sale in Sheung Wan’s Tai Tat Tei in 1984. Photo: SCMP Archives

A stall sells cheap watches in 1986. Photo: SCMP Archives

A chef gets to work over a blazing wok in a Tai Tat Tei dai pai dong in 1986. Photo: SCMP Archives

A seafood stall displays its offerings in 1987. Photo: SCMP Archives

Tourists tuck into a meal at one of the Tai Tat Tei open-air restaurants in 1987. Photo: SCMP Archives

One of Tai Tat Tei’s many food stalls in 1987. Photo: SCMP Archives

In 1992, stallholders in Sheung Wan’s Tai Tat Tei knew their days were numbered ahead of its closure to make way for the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation project. Photo: SCMP Archives

Guests enjoying a meal at the “Poor Man’s Nightclub” in 1992. Photo: SCMP Archives

A South China Morning Post photographer was there for the final night of the 33-year-old bazaar in August 1992. Photo: SCMP Archives

Diners enjoy one last meal at the “Poor Man’s Nightclub” on August 2, 1992. Photo: SCMP Archives

In pictures: when Disneyland opened in Hong Kong – the first park in Greater China

Mickey and Minnie Mouse perform on stage with other characters in front of the castle of Sleeping Beauty at the official opening of Hong Kong Disneyland on September 12, 2005. Photo: SCMP Archives

Minnie and Mickey Mouse with a rendering of the planned Hong Kong Disneyland, in Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island, in 1999. Photo: SCMP Archives

Hong Kong Disneyland under construction in 2004. Photo: SCMP Archives

Cantopop singer, actor and Disneyland spokesman Jacky Cheung (centre) attends the Hong Kong Disneyland castle topping ceremony on September 23, 2004. Photo: SCMP Archives

A wet start to the park rehearsal day for cast members and their families at Hong Kong Disneyland, in August 16, 2005. Photo: SCMP Archives

A parade along Main Street USA during Media Enjoyment Day on September 6, 2005. Photo: SCMP Archives

Attending the official opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, on September 12, 2005, are (from left) Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen; Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China Zeng Qinghong; Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner; and Walt Disney Company president and CEO-elect Robert Iger. Photo: SCMP Archives

The park’s first visitor, Michael Kuzma, 36, an IT consultant from the United States, shows his excitement near the ticket counter on the opening day of Hong Kong Disneyland. Photo: SCMP Archives

A family from Shanghai walk with cast members on opening day. Photo: SCMP Archives

Visitors queue to ride the Orbitron in the park’s Tomorrowland area during opening day. Photo: SCMP Archives

A child poses for a photo in a spacesuit on opening day. Photo: SCMP Archives

A dancer performs as an action figure from the film Toy Story on Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening day. Photo: SCMP Archives

A musician waves to the camera as he performs at the official opening of Hong Kong Disneyland. Photo: SCMP Archives

Fireworks over the Sleeping Beauty Castle on Hong Kong Disneyland’s opening night. Photo: SCMP Archives

PostMag

Culture

From Kobe Bryant to Diego Maradona, these global sports stars found inspiration, fans and unforgettable moments in Hong Kong


From Kobe Bryant to Diego Maradona, these global sports stars found inspiration, fans and unforgettable moments in Hong Kong.


In pictures: sports icons in Hong Kong, from Pelé to Serena Williams

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From Kobe Bryant to Diego Maradona, these global sports stars found inspiration, fans and unforgettable moments in Hong Kong

From Kobe Bryant to Diego Maradona, these global sports stars found inspiration, fans and unforgettable moments in Hong Kong