- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 USA
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 99.0
- Statistics
- 97.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
GOAT Rank · 481
Greatest Athletes who debuted in the 1980s
This ranking is led by Michael Jordan, Kristine Lilly and Mia Hamm. GOAT Rank currently ranks 481 eligible athletes who debuted in the 1980s using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Quick answer
According to GOAT Rank's current model, Michael Jordan ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 93.4.
How the GOAT Score is calculated →#AthleteGOAT Score
- 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
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1989–2006
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- 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
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1980–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1985–2000
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1987–2001
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1984–2009
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 89.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1981–2003
- Country
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1986–2004
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1989–2013
- Country
- 🇮🇳 India
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 98.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 100.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2001
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1980–2001
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1986–2006
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 1982–1999
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 97.0
- Statistics
- 95.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1989–2018
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1989–2009
- Country
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2008
- Country
- 🇲🇿 Mozambique
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1981–1991
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1980–1997
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1989–2003
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1984–1999
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1985–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1980–1999
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 95.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1986–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1984–1996
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1988–2010
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1984–2004
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1988–2007
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1981–1999
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1984–2006
- Country
- 🇨🇿 Czechia
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1987–2005
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1981–1995
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1982–2012
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2002
- Country
- 🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 87.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1984–2001
- Country
- 🇨🇺 Cuba
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1982–1999
- Country
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1980–1996
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–2005
- Country
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1988–2008
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2004
- Country
- 🇵🇱 Poland
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1982–2001
- Country
- 🇷🇴 Romania
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–2010
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1980–1993
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Michael Jordan | Basketball | 🇺🇸 USA | 1984–2003 | 93.4 |
| 22 | Kristine Lilly | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2010 | 92.0 |
| 26 | Mia Hamm | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 91.4 |
| 39 | Zinedine Zidane | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1989–2006 | 90.6 |
| 48 | Romário | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1985–2009 | 90.1 |
| 60 | Joy Fawcett | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 89.6 |
| 72 | Julie Foudy | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 89.2 |
| 77 | Enzo Francescoli | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 1980–1997 | 89.1 |
| 80 | Michelle Akers | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1985–2000 | 89.0 |
| 81 | Teresa Edwards | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–2004 | 89.0 |
| 82 | Linda Medalen | Football | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1987–2001 | 89.0 |
| 87 | Paolo Maldini | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1984–2009 | 88.8 |
| 90 | Peter Schmeichel | Football | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 1981–2003 | 88.8 |
| 98 | Andreas Möller | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1986–2004 | 88.8 |
| 100 | Sachin Tendulkar | Cricket | 🇮🇳 India | 1989–2013 | 88.7 |
| 109 | Michael Johnson | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1988–2001 | 88.5 |
| 114 | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1980–2001 | 88.4 |
| 117 | Marcel Desailly | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1986–2006 | 88.4 |
| 123 | Steffi Graf | Tennis | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1982–1999 | 88.3 |
| 124 | Roy Jones Jr. | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1989–2018 | 88.3 |
| 142 | Luís Figo | Football | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 1989–2009 | 87.9 |
| 148 | Maria Mutola | Athletics | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 1988–2008 | 87.7 |
| 159 | Michael Gross | Swimming | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1981–1991 | 87.6 |
| 166 | Oscar Ruggeri | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1980–1997 | 87.6 |
| 171 | Bettina Wiegmann | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1989–2003 | 87.5 |
| 173 | Martina Voss-Tecklenburg | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1984–1999 | 87.5 |
| 177 | Karl Malone | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1985–2004 | 87.4 |
| 183 | Giuseppe Bergomi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1980–1999 | 87.4 |
| 188 | Cynthia Cooper-Dyke | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1986–2003 | 87.3 |
| 190 | Mike Conley Sr. | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–1996 | 87.3 |
| 199 | Brandi Chastain | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1988–2010 | 87.2 |
| 205 | Steve Waugh | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1984–2004 | 87.1 |
| 209 | Angelo Peruzzi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1988–2007 | 87.1 |
| 210 | Gianluca Vialli | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1981–1999 | 87.1 |
| 219 | Jan Železný | Athletics | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1984–2006 | 86.9 |
| 224 | Reggie Miller | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2005 | 86.9 |
| 235 | Marco van Basten | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1981–1995 | 86.7 |
| 241 | Dara Torres | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1982–2012 | 86.7 |
| 261 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Basketball | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 1984–2002 | 86.5 |
| 268 | John Stockton | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–2003 | 86.4 |
| 279 | Javier Sotomayor | Athletics | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 1984–2001 | 86.3 |
| 281 | Stefka Kostadinova | Athletics | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 1982–1999 | 86.3 |
| 285 | Hortência Marcari | Basketball | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1980–1996 | 86.3 |
| 291 | Julio César Chávez | Boxing | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 1980–2005 | 86.2 |
| 298 | Hristo Stoichkov | Football | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 1984–2003 | 86.2 |
| 300 | Sissi Oliveira | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1988–2008 | 86.2 |
| 305 | Robert Korzeniowski | Athletics | 🇵🇱 Poland | 1988–2004 | 86.1 |
| 307 | Gheorghe Hagi | Football | 🇷🇴 Romania | 1982–2001 | 86.1 |
| 314 | Héctor Camacho | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1980–2010 | 86.0 |
| 337 | Kevin McHale | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1980–1993 | 85.8 |
Compare the leaders
Michael Jordan vs Kristine LillyRead 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.
Related rankings
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