It's that time of year again when the country's most impressive sporting talent strips down to their birthday suits to reveal the tools that keep them at the top of their chosen sport.

The annual magazine, which has been going since 2009, has previously featured the likes of Venus Williams and Michael Phelps in its powerful nude photography series'.

This year among the pack are Christen Press, 27, United States women's national soccer team player, and Gregg Louganis, 56, a former Olympic diver.

Stunning form: United States women's national soccer team player Christen Press , 27, is among the athletes to feature in ESPN's Body Issue for 2016

Big star: Christen poses before a dusty landscape in the shots, holding a dirty soccer ball against her thigh in her own cover for the photo series

Hitting the field: In an interview with the publication, Christen explained how her body is '100 per cent a byproduct of my sport'

American surfer Courtney Conlogue (pictured) also posed for the landmark issue

For her shoot, Christen poses against a dusty landscape, showing her on her own cover of the magazine leaning with one leg forward, her arm holding a dust-covered soccer ball against her upper thigh.

She follows in the footsteps of the likes of Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Hope Solo as a female soccer player taking part in the famous series.

In an interview along with the cover, Christen explained to the magazine how her body is '100 per cent a byproduct of my sport'.

'I have butt muscles, thigh muscles, and then my upper body is super skinny - except for in my shoulders, which you need for a little bit of strength to hold other players off the ball,' she added.

She also described how she struggled herself with body image, saying that she 'always wanted a more perfect body'.

Still got it: Former Olympic diver Greg Louganis proves that he is still in amazing shape at 56 in the issue

Moving forward: Gregg has lived with HIV for around 30 years, receiving the diagnosis shortly before he competed at the 1988 Soeul Games

Strong leap: Greg's images for the issue show how after all these years the former champion still has incredible form off the boards

'But if you think about it, the bodies that I see every day are my teammates’, and they are some of the most amazing bodies in the world - so that gives you a skewed perspective,' she said. 'I’ve spent a lot of time being insecure about my body, but it’s done so much for me. It’s my tool, my vessel for my job.'

Christen is currently in preparation to head to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with the US team, and has gold in her sights.

Also included in this year's issue is retired Olympic diver Greg Louganis, who famously swept the gold medals in the diving events at both the 1984 and 1988 Games - the latter of which he competed in after being diagnosed with HIV.

'I try to live by example - being gay, being HIV-positive - you know, life goes on,' he told the publication. 'HIV taught me that I'm a lot stronger than I ever believed I was. Also, not to take anything for granted. I didn't think I would see 30, and here I am at 56.'

A real champion: Greg (pictured in 1984) swept the diving events at both the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games

Giving back: Greg is going to Rio with the US Olympic diving team as an official mentor to the athletes

Greg's images show his still-immaculate form off the diving boards as well as his age-defying muscular frame.

The sporting icon, who is going to Rio as an official mentor to the USA diving team, also spoke to the magazine about his infamous head injury at the Seoul Games, when he whacked himself on the board during a dive and dramatically exited the pool with a blood soaked hair.

'I heard this big hollow thud and I go crashing into the water and I was thinking “What was that?” Then I realized, “Oh my God, that was my head.” My first feeling was embarrassment,' he said. 'I was thinking “How do I get out of this pool without anyone seeing me?"'

Despite suffering the concussion in the preliminary rounds of the events, he still went on to produce a gold medal-winning performance.