- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1979–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
GOAT Rank · 395
Greatest Athletes who debuted in the 1970s
This ranking is led by Carl Lewis, Diego Maradona and Zico. GOAT Rank currently ranks 395 eligible athletes who debuted in the 1970s using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Quick answer
According to GOAT Rank's current model, Carl Lewis ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 93.1.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1976–1997
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 91.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- 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
- 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
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1974–1991
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1986
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1978–1998
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 1973–1994
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 95.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 97.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–2000
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1979–1994
- Country
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1991
- Country
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1975–1996
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1997
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1972–1987
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 89.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1976–1990
- Country
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1974–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1977–2006
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1973–2002
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1977–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1989
- Country
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1974–1995
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1972–1986
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1974–1992
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1987
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1988
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Ice Hockey
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 100.0
- Statistics
- 100.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1996
- Country
- 🇨🇲 Cameroon
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1976–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1974–1989
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1973–1991
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1995
- Country
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1977–1997
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1989
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1991
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1978–1987
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 1972–1989
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 91.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1976–1996
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1989
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1998
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1973–1987
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1979–2008
- Country
- 🇬🇭 Ghana
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Carl Lewis | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1997 | 93.1 |
| 19 | Diego Maradona | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1976–1997 | 92.0 |
| 35 | Zico | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1971–1994 | 90.9 |
| 36 | Betty Vignotto | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1970–1990 | 90.9 |
| 46 | Ricardo Bochini | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1972–1991 | 90.2 |
| 47 | Magic Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1996 | 90.1 |
| 62 | Ian Rush | Football | 🏴 Wales | 1979–1999 | 89.5 |
| 67 | Larry Bird | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1992 | 89.4 |
| 75 | Antonio Cabrini | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1974–1991 | 89.2 |
| 94 | Delio Onnis | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1971–1986 | 88.8 |
| 110 | Carolina Morace | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1978–1998 | 88.5 |
| 112 | Martina Navratilova | Tennis | 🇺🇸 United States | 1973–1994 | 88.4 |
| 113 | Lothar Matthäus | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–2000 | 88.4 |
| 118 | Nikos Galis | Basketball | 🇬🇷 Greece | 1979–1994 | 88.4 |
| 119 | Dražen Dalipagić | Basketball | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 1971–1991 | 88.4 |
| 130 | Pia Sundhage | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1975–1996 | 88.2 |
| 131 | Bernd Schuster | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–1997 | 88.2 |
| 134 | Michel Platini | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1972–1987 | 88.1 |
| 144 | Rinat Dasayev | Football | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1976–1990 | 87.9 |
| 145 | Yuriy Sedykh | Athletics | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 1974–1992 | 87.8 |
| 150 | Thomas Hearns | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–2006 | 87.7 |
| 152 | Larry Holmes | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1973–2002 | 87.7 |
| 208 | Tracy Caulkins | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1984 | 87.1 |
| 234 | Hans Krankl | Football | 🇦🇹 Austria | 1971–1989 | 86.8 |
| 237 | Moses Malone | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1995 | 86.7 |
| 243 | George Gervin | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1986 | 86.7 |
| 272 | Nate Archibald | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1984 | 86.4 |
| 286 | Harald Schumacher | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1974–1992 | 86.3 |
| 290 | Julius Erving | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1987 | 86.2 |
| 297 | Artis Gilmore | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1988 | 86.2 |
| 303 | Wayne Gretzky | Ice Hockey | 🇨🇦 Canada | 1979–1999 | 86.1 |
| 313 | Roger Milla | Football | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 1970–1996 | 86.0 |
| 316 | Rainer Bonhof | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1970–1983 | 86.0 |
| 320 | Evelyn Ashford | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1992 | 85.9 |
| 322 | Wilfredo Gómez | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1974–1989 | 85.9 |
| 332 | Alex English | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 85.8 |
| 334 | Alan Hansen | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1973–1991 | 85.8 |
| 342 | Walter Zenga | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1979–1999 | 85.8 |
| 358 | Igor Belanov | Football | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 1979–1995 | 85.6 |
| 375 | Franco Baresi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1977–1997 | 85.4 |
| 389 | Adrian Dantley | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 85.4 |
| 393 | Giancarlo Antognoni | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1971–1989 | 85.4 |
| 399 | Graeme Souness | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1970–1991 | 85.3 |
| 427 | Alex Baumann | Swimming | 🇨🇦 Canada | 1978–1987 | 85.2 |
| 431 | Chris Evert | Tennis | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1989 | 85.1 |
| 436 | Allan Border | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1976–1996 | 85.1 |
| 444 | Dominique Rocheteau | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1971–1989 | 85.1 |
| 446 | Andreas Brehme | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–1998 | 85.1 |
| 453 | Paolo Rossi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1973–1987 | 85.0 |
| 467 | Azumah Nelson | Boxing | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 1979–2008 | 84.9 |
Compare the leaders
Carl Lewis vs Diego MaradonaRead 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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