- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
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
- Athletics
- Career
- 2001–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 89.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2004–2017
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2001–2022
- Country
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2001–2016
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2003–2021
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2007–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2000–2017
- Country
- 🇵🇰 Pakistan
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2001–2016
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2006–2018
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2017
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2004–2013
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2018
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2004–2023
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2022
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2001–2017
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2006–2019
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–2017
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2019
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 75.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2001–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2019
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2021
- Country
- 🏴 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2002–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2002–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2004–2016
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2002–2012
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2015
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 85.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2002–2022
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2001–active
- Country
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2023
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2003–2019
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2019
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 456 | Lorenzo Insigne | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2009–active | 85.0 |
| 462 | Kenenisa Bekele | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 2001–2023 | 84.9 |
| 466 | Andre Ward | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2017 | 84.9 |
| 469 | Tianna Bartoletta | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2021 | 84.9 |
| 480 | Valerie Adams | Athletics | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 2001–2022 | 84.8 |
| 481 | Meseret Defar | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 2001–2016 | 84.8 |
| 486 | László Cseh | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2003–2021 | 84.8 |
| 492 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 2005–active | 84.7 |
| 495 | Nathan Adrian | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2007–2021 | 84.7 |
| 497 | Ana Marcela Cunha | Swimming | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2006–active | 84.7 |
| 508 | Younis Khan | Cricket | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 2000–2017 | 84.6 |
| 524 | Andreas Thorkildsen | Athletics | 🇳🇴 Norway | 2001–2016 | 84.5 |
| 525 | Alastair Cook | Cricket | 🏴 England | 2006–2018 | 84.5 |
| 531 | Neymar Jr | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2009–active | 84.4 |
| 532 | Philipp Lahm | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2002–2017 | 84.4 |
| 534 | Mireia Belmonte | Swimming | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2006–active | 84.4 |
| 539 | Rebecca Adlington | Swimming | 🏴 England | 2004–2013 | 84.4 |
| 542 | Laura Georges | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2001–2018 | 84.4 |
| 543 | Erika Cristiano | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2006–active | 84.4 |
| 547 | Katinka Hosszú | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2004–2023 | 84.3 |
| 550 | Irene Paredes | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2008–active | 84.3 |
| 552 | Carlos Tévez | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 2001–2022 | 84.3 |
| 556 | Miguel Cotto | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 2001–2017 | 84.3 |
| 567 | Marta Torrejón | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2005–active | 84.2 |
| 569 | Sophie Devine | Cricket | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 2006–active | 84.2 |
| 570 | Sarah Taylor | Cricket | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2006–2019 | 84.2 |
| 578 | Élodie Thomis | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2004–2017 | 84.2 |
| 582 | Robin van Persie | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2002–2019 | 84.2 |
| 584 | Tamika Catchings | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2001–2016 | 84.1 |
| 588 | Thiago Silva | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2004–active | 84.1 |
| 589 | Jennifer Hermoso | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2008–active | 84.1 |
| 594 | Naoko Fujioka | Boxing | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2009–active | 84.1 |
| 597 | Daniele De Rossi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2001–2019 | 84.1 |
| 600 | Sofia Jakobsson | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2007–active | 84.1 |
| 605 | Wayne Rooney | Football | 🏴 United Kingdom | 2002–2021 | 84.0 |
| 608 | Sanya Richards-Ross | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002–2016 | 84.0 |
| 616 | Swin Cash | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002–2016 | 84.0 |
| 621 | Kheira Hamraoui | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2007–active | 84.0 |
| 636 | Paul Biedermann | Swimming | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2004–2016 | 83.9 |
| 637 | Alain Bernard | Swimming | 🇫🇷 France | 2002–2012 | 83.9 |
| 638 | Eric Abidal | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2001–2015 | 83.9 |
| 640 | Edinson Cavani | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 2006–active | 83.8 |
| 642 | Alia Atkinson | Swimming | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2002–2022 | 83.8 |
| 653 | Chris Paul | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2005–active | 83.7 |
| 654 | Katie Taylor | Boxing | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 2001–active | 83.7 |
| 657 | Caster Semenya | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2008–active | 83.7 |
| 664 | Gaëtane Thiney | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2005–2023 | 83.7 |
| 669 | Dwyane Wade | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2003–2019 | 83.6 |
| 676 | Karen Carney | Football | 🏴 England | 2005–2019 | 83.6 |
| 686 | Ryan Lochte | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2021 | 83.5 |
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.
Related rankings
Greatest athletes of all timeGreatest female of all timeGreatest male of all timeGreatest active AthletesGreatest retired AthletesGreatest Boxers of all timeGreatest Swimmers of all timeGreatest Football Players of all timeGreatest Tennis Players of all timeGreatest Golfers of all timeGreatest Formula 1 Drivers of all timeGreatest Esports Players of all time