| 100% | LIONEL | 6 | With 33-Across, winner of the Golden Ball in the 2014 World Cup |
| 64% | MESSI | 5 | Golden Ball winner in the 2014 World Cup |
| 56% | MESSI | 5 | Two-time winner of the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball |
| 54% | MESSI | 5 | Lionel ___, Argentine soccer player who won the Golden Ball award in the 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 51% | MARKSELBY | 9 | Winner of the World Snooker Championship in 2014, 2016 and 2017 |
| 50% | MEGANRAPINOE | 12 | Co-captain of the USWNT who won the Golden Ball award and scored one of the two goals in the team's World Cup final game victory over 17-Across (2 wds.) |
| 48% | MESSI | 5 | Golden Ball winner at the 2022 FIFA World Cup |
| 47% | RAPINOE | 7 | Golden Ball winner in 2019's Women's World Cup |
| 46% | LUKA | 4 | ___ Modric, Croatian soccer player who won the Golden Ball award in the 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 45% | GHANA | 5 | Loser to the U.S. in the 2014 World Cup |
| 44% | RICHARDGERE | 11 | Golden Globe winner for the role of 30-/33-Across in the 2002 movie musical "Chicago": 2 wds. |
| 44% | CHRIS | 5 | With 33-Across, "Guardians of the Galaxy" star who plays Owen Grady in 15-/49-Across |
| 43% | KAHN | 4 | Soccer player Oliver ___, the only goalie in history to win FIFA's World Cup Golden Ball (2002) |
| 43% | RED | 3 | With 6-Down, winners of the 2018 World Series |
| 43% | TRUMAN | 6 | With 33-Across, friend of 15-Across who was the basis for Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird" |
| 43% | URU | 3 | Winner of the first World Cup: Abbr. |
| 43% | ENG | 3 | Winner of the 1966 World Cup: Abbr. |
| 43% | CHUCK | 5 | With 33-Across, "Big Self-Portrait" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 2000 |
| 42% | SANDIEGO | 8 | City with one of the largest zoos in the world |
| 42% | MILAN | 5 | Winner of the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup |
| 42% | USA | 3 | Winner of the most Women's World Cups |
| 42% | FIFA | 4 | Sports body that organized the 2014 World Cup in Brazil: Abbr. |
| 42% | SPAIN | 5 | Winners of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| 42% | USA | 3 | Winner of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup (Abbr.) |
| 41% | DINOZOFF | 8 | Italian goalkeeper, oldest winner of the World Cup |
| 41% | SELBY | 5 | Mark —, winner of the 2014 World Snooker Championship |
| 41% | ARGENTINA | 9 | Controversial winners of FIFA World Cup in 1986 |
| 41% | SMACK | 5 | With 33-Down, precisely, as in the middle of 17-, 23-, 51- and 62-Across |
| 41% | ROSELAVELLE | 11 | Midfielder for the USWNT who won the Bronze Ball award and scored one of the two goals in the team's World Cup final game victory over 17-Across (2 wds.) |
| 41% | URUGUAY | 7 | Host and winner of the first FIFA World Cup |