- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–active
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 99.0
- Dominance
- 98.0
- Statistics
- 99.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
GOAT Rank · 5087
Greatest athletes of all time
This ranking is led by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Phelps. GOAT Rank currently ranks 5087 eligible athletes using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Quick answer
According to GOAT Rank's current model, Lionel Messi ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 97.0.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 97.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 99.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2000–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 99.0
- Statistics
- 98.0
- Honours
- 100.0
- Longevity
- 93.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 97.0
- Dominance
- 96.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1958–1977
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 91.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1956–1977
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 97.0
- Dominance
- 96.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1960–1978
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2003–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 USA
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 98.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 100.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 USA
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 99.0
- Statistics
- 97.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1969–1989
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1953–1973
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 91.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2004–2017
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 98.0
- Statistics
- 95.0
- Honours
- 98.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1979–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1964–1984
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1945–1966
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1964–1983
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2004–2025
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1939–1961
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 95.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1976–1997
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 91.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 97.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2011
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 97.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1987–2010
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 98.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1943–1966
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1963–1978
- Country
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 91.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1969–1990
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1990–2004
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1962
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1959–1973
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 99.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1927–1949
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 100.0
- Statistics
- 100.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2015
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1950–1971
- Country
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1994
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1990
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 2003–active
- Country
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 99.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 99.0
- Longevity
- 97.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2011
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1989–2006
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1956–1969
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 96.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1940–1965
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1960–1981
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 96.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1998–2021
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1996–2017
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1972–1991
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1996
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1985–2009
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2003–2022
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 2004–active | 97.0 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 2002–active | 95.5 |
| 3 | Michael Phelps | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2000–2016 | 95.2 |
| 4 | Marta Vieira da Silva | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2002–active | 95.0 |
| 5 | Bobby Moore | Football | 🏴 England | 1958–1977 | 94.6 |
| 6 | Pelé | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1956–1977 | 94.2 |
| 7 | Giacinto Facchetti | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1960–1978 | 94.0 |
| 8 | LeBron James | Basketball | 🇺🇸 USA | 2003–active | 93.7 |
| 9 | Michael Jordan | Basketball | 🇺🇸 USA | 1984–2003 | 93.4 |
| 10 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1969–1989 | 93.3 |
| 11 | Luis Suárez Miramontes | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1953–1973 | 93.3 |
| 12 | Usain Bolt | Athletics | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2004–2017 | 93.2 |
| 13 | Carl Lewis | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1997 | 93.1 |
| 14 | Johan Cruyff | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1964–1984 | 92.9 |
| 15 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1945–1966 | 92.9 |
| 16 | Franz Beckenbauer | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1964–1983 | 92.6 |
| 17 | Diana Taurasi | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2025 | 92.3 |
| 18 | Ángel Labruna | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1939–1961 | 92.1 |
| 19 | Diego Maradona | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1976–1997 | 92.0 |
| 20 | Katie Ledecky | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2012–active | 92.0 |
| 21 | Ronaldo Nazário | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1993–2011 | 92.0 |
| 22 | Kristine Lilly | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2010 | 92.0 |
| 23 | Luis Suárez | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 2005–active | 92.0 |
| 24 | Ferenc Puskás | Football | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 1943–1966 | 91.8 |
| 25 | Dragan Džajić | Football | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 1963–1978 | 91.6 |
| 26 | Mia Hamm | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 91.4 |
| 27 | Kenny Dalglish | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1969–1990 | 91.4 |
| 28 | Hege Riise | Football | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1990–2004 | 91.4 |
| 29 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Athletics | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2007–active | 91.2 |
| 30 | Juan Alberto Schiaffino | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 1946–1962 | 91.2 |
| 31 | Wilt Chamberlain | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1959–1973 | 91.1 |
| 32 | Don Bradman | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1927–1949 | 91.0 |
| 33 | Rivaldo | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1991–2015 | 91.0 |
| 34 | Lev Yashin | Football | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1950–1971 | 90.9 |
| 35 | Zico | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1971–1994 | 90.9 |
| 36 | Betty Vignotto | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1970–1990 | 90.9 |
| 37 | Novak Djokovic | Tennis | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 2003–active | 90.8 |
| 38 | Edwin van der Sar | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1991–2011 | 90.8 |
| 39 | Zinedine Zidane | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1989–2006 | 90.6 |
| 40 | Bill Russell | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1956–1969 | 90.6 |
| 41 | Sugar Ray Robinson | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1940–1965 | 90.5 |
| 42 | Carli Lloyd | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2005–2021 | 90.5 |
| 43 | Muhammad Ali | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1960–1981 | 90.3 |
| 44 | Pau Gasol | Basketball | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1998–2021 | 90.3 |
| 45 | Floyd Mayweather | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1996–2017 | 90.2 |
| 46 | Ricardo Bochini | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1972–1991 | 90.2 |
| 47 | Magic Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1996 | 90.1 |
| 48 | Romário | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1985–2009 | 90.1 |
| 49 | Antoine Griezmann | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2009–active | 90.1 |
| 50 | Allyson Felix | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2003–2022 | 90.0 |
Compare the leaders
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano RonaldoRead the full methodology
Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.
Read the full methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.
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