Who is better, Buffon or Messi?
Lionel Messi leads with a GOAT score of 97.0 against 89.0 for Gianluigi Buffon — a gap of 8.0 points on GOAT Rank's weighted model.
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Buffon vs Messi
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Quick answer
GOAT Rank currently ranks Lionel Messi above Gianluigi Buffon: 97.0 vs 89.0. Lionel Messi leads on Statistics, Dominance, Peak. Gianluigi Buffon leads on Longevity.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →GOAT verdictgoatrank.world
MessiWinner
97.0Messi wins: Dominance, Peak, Honours, Statistics
Buffon
89.0Buffon wins: Longevity
Candidates
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Time range
Showing full careers. Pick a window to recalculate the selected period.
Category radar
Verdict
Weighted GOAT score
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi
97.0
Messi leads in 4 of 5 weighted categories.
1. Lionel Messi
2. Gianluigi Buffon
Category breakdown
Season form · Form index per season
Career timeline · Form index per season
Cumulative output season by season — the shape of each career against the other.
GOAT pace tracker
Through age 21 · Form index per season
1. 🇦🇷 Lionel Messi79 goals
4 seasons by age 21 · 19.8 per season
Setting the pace at age 21
No verified birth date for Buffon — shown in the pro-debut view instead.
Every career is cut at the season the athlete turned 21, so a rookie today is measured against exactly what a legend had banked by the same birthday.
| Metric | BuffonRetired | MessiActive · Inter Miami CF |
|---|---|---|
| World Cups | 1 | 1 |
| Serie A titles | 10 | — |
| Italy caps | 176 | — |
| Clean sheets | 500 | — |
| Yashin/Lev Yashin awards | 1 | — |
| Serie A appearances | 657 | — |
| Career goals | — | 879 |
| Career assists | — | 383 |
| Ballon d'Or | — | 8 |
| Champions League titles | — | 4 |
| League titles | — | 12 |
| Goals per 90 | — | 0.79 |
| Dominance w25% | 86 | 98 |
| Peak w20% | 89 | 99 |
| Longevity w20% | 96 | 92 |
| Honours w20% | 88 | 97 |
| Statistics w15% | 86 | 99 |
Fan vote — data vs the people
GOAT Rank · the data
Messi97.0
Buffon89.0
FAQ
Where does Buffon beat Messi?
Buffon scores higher on longevity. Messi leads on peak, dominance, honours, statistics.
How is the Buffon vs Messi score calculated?
Both are scored on peak, dominance, honours, statistics, longevity within their sport. Buffon: 89.0, Messi: 97.0.
What do you think?
0 commentsMake your case for Buffon vs Messi. The scoring is published in full — if you can point at the pillar or the weight you disagree with, we read it. Read the methodology paper.