- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–active
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 99.0
- Dominance
- 98.0
- Statistics
- 99.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
GOAT Rank · 730
Greatest Athletes who debuted in the 2000s
This ranking is led by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Phelps. GOAT Rank currently ranks 730 eligible athletes who debuted in the 2000s 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
- Basketball
- Career
- 2003–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 USA
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 98.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 100.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2004–2017
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 98.0
- Statistics
- 95.0
- Honours
- 98.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- 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
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- 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
- 2005–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- 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
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2017
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2020
- Country
- 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2023
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2023
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2002–2022
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2016
- Country
- 🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2024
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇵🇱 Poland
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2020
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2024
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–2022
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 91.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2023
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2015
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2007–2015
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–2019
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 87.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2008–2024
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2019
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–active
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2002–2024
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 98.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2019
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2022
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
| # | 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 |
| 8 | LeBron James | Basketball | 🇺🇸 USA | 2003–active | 93.7 |
| 12 | Usain Bolt | Athletics | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2004–2017 | 93.2 |
| 17 | Diana Taurasi | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2025 | 92.3 |
| 23 | Luis Suárez | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 2005–active | 92.0 |
| 29 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Athletics | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2007–active | 91.2 |
| 37 | Novak Djokovic | Tennis | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 2003–active | 90.8 |
| 42 | Carli Lloyd | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2005–2021 | 90.5 |
| 49 | Antoine Griezmann | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2009–active | 90.1 |
| 50 | Allyson Felix | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2003–2022 | 90.0 |
| 53 | Cristiane Rozeira | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2002–active | 89.9 |
| 55 | Xabi Alonso | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2000–2017 | 89.8 |
| 56 | Yaya Touré | Football | 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast | 2002–2020 | 89.8 |
| 58 | Christine Sinclair | Football | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2000–2023 | 89.7 |
| 63 | Megan Rapinoe | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2006–2023 | 89.5 |
| 66 | Sue Bird | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002–2022 | 89.4 |
| 73 | Jenni Hermoso | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2008–active | 89.2 |
| 74 | Perpetua Nkwocha | Football | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 2000–2016 | 89.2 |
| 76 | Marcelo Vieira | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2005–active | 89.2 |
| 78 | Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2009–active | 89.1 |
| 88 | Andrés Iniesta | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2002–2024 | 88.8 |
| 89 | Robert Lewandowski | Football | 🇵🇱 Poland | 2006–active | 88.8 |
| 103 | Wendie Renard | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2006–active | 88.7 |
| 116 | David Villa | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2000–2020 | 88.4 |
| 120 | Leonardo Bonucci | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2005–2024 | 88.4 |
| 122 | Tobin Heath | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2008–2022 | 88.4 |
| 126 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2009–active | 88.2 |
| 127 | Dani Alves | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2001–2023 | 88.2 |
| 132 | David Josué Jiménez Silva | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2005–2023 | 88.2 |
| 133 | Ivan Rakitić | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 2006–active | 88.2 |
| 146 | Abby Wambach | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2001–2015 | 87.7 |
| 149 | Lucy Bronze | Football | 🏴 England | 2009–active | 87.7 |
| 154 | Marco Verratti | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2008–active | 87.7 |
| 156 | Sherida Spitse | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2006–active | 87.7 |
| 170 | Romelu Lukaku | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2009–active | 87.5 |
| 174 | Lauren Holiday | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2007–2015 | 87.5 |
| 175 | Wesley Sneijder | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2003–2019 | 87.5 |
| 179 | Cate Campbell | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2008–2024 | 87.4 |
| 182 | Anja Mittag | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2002–2019 | 87.4 |
| 186 | Luka Modrić | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 2003–active | 87.3 |
| 187 | Eugénie Le Sommer | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2006–active | 87.3 |
| 189 | James Anderson | Cricket | 🏴 England | 2002–2024 | 87.3 |
| 192 | Cesc Fàbregas | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2004–2023 | 87.3 |
| 193 | Sergio Ramos | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2003–active | 87.2 |
| 197 | Andrea Barzagli | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2000–2019 | 87.2 |
| 198 | Ciro Immobile | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2008–active | 87.2 |
| 206 | Franck Ribéry | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2000–2022 | 87.1 |
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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