Sporting waxworks: uncanny and terrible creations - in pictures

Here's the Sebastian Vettel wax figure making its way to Baker Street Photograph: Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Vettel will be joining this waxwork of Lewis Hamilton from his Formula One world champion days at Madame Tussauds in London Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Andy Murray seems a little bit shorter than his wax doppelganger Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action Images

A Diego Maradona waxwork that was presented to him during his felicitation in Calcutta in December 2008. Maradona was greeted by thousands of fans as he helped inaugurate a football school on his visit to promote the sport in India Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

Here's a waxwork of Kevin Keegan at Louis Tussauds House of Wax Museum in Great Yarmouth. Keegan is the one in the centre, in case you're wondering, and is flanked by George Best on the left (yes really) and, no, it's not Alan Partridge on the right but Gary Lineker Photograph: Albanpix Ltd/Rex Features

The special two Photograph: Stephen Hird/Reuters/Corbis

Fatima Whitbread is pleased with her likeness Photograph: Jack Kay/Getty Images

Kobe Bryant at the opening of the Madame Tussauds in Hollywood Photograph: Graham Whitby Boot/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

Everton players admiring the wax model of team-mate Dixie Dean in 1929 Photograph: J. Gaiger/Getty Images

Bet this isn't the first time Frank Bruno had people seeing double Photograph: Reuters

Rafael Nadal plays tennis Matrix style
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Frank Worrell, captain of the West Indies cricket team, pictured overseeing the final touches to his waxwork figure in 1963 Photograph: Ron Case/Getty Images

Geoff Boycott, wearing a dodgy titfer, poses beside his wax double Photograph: Evening Standard/Getty Images

In 1973 George Best is removed by Madame Tussauds' staff in London, watched by his replacement Johan Cruyff, the European Footballer of the year Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

The Aussies wouldn't like this – two Ian Bothams Photograph: Peter Brooker/Rex Features

Jessica Ennis posed a double challenge to the sculpters at Madame Tussauds, not only did they have to get her face right they also had to make sure her abs were an exact likeness too Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images

Diane Hull puts the finishing touches to a new waxwork figure of Tottenham and England footballer Jimmy Greaves at Madame Tussauds in 1966 Photograph: Ron Case/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Sébastien Chabal seems happy with his likeness at the Grevin Museum Photograph: Maxppp/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

As does Serena Williams at the Madame Tussauds in New York Photograph: Henry Lamb/BEI/Rex Features

Whereas Kevin Keegan looks in a serious mood at the unveiling of his other likeness at Madame Tussauds in London Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images

Another waxy six pack, this time belonging to Cristiano Ronaldo and being revealed by a smitten looking German fan Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Jonah Lomu hands himself off Photograph: Ross Land/Getty Images

A sight to make tennis umpires weep back in 1981 Photograph: Rob Taggart/Getty Images

Bet Lance Armstrong in no longer on display at Madame Tussauds in New York Photograph: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

Champion jockey Lester Piggott beside the waxwork model of himself, dressed in racing silks in 1970
Photograph: C Maher/Getty Images

Imagine how frightening, and deafening, it would have been to be on the end of an earbashing like this from the real Oliver Kahn Photograph: Arno Burgi/dpa/Corbis

Waxworks of Pele and Stanley Matthews on show at Madame Tussauds in 1966 Photograph: Central Press/Getty Images

Here's Beefy Botham again, right, this time at Louis Tussauds Waxwork Museum, Great Yarmouth alongside Gazza, left, and Michael Owen Photograph: Albanpix Ltd/Rex Features

The Swami Army cheer at the unveiling of the new wax figure of Sachin Tendular that will be placed in the sports zone of Madame Tussauds in Sydney. Though there was a bit of a hoo-hah about his kit Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

No doubt many Liverpool managers would have liked to have seen two Steven Gerrards in their side Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA Archive

Tiger Woods at Madame Tussauds in New York Photograph: Brian Ach/WireImage

Tom Parker, captain of Arsenal, sitting for waxwork maker John Tussaud, who is crafting his likeness for a model at Madame Tussauds in 1930
Photograph: J Gaiger/Getty Images

Wayne Rooney and no that's not a very bad John Motson waxwork with him, it's a very bad John Motson look-a-like Photograph: Tim Whitby/WireImage

A rather good likeness of Sven-Goran Eriksson during his days as England manager Photograph: Mike Marsland/WireImage