- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1953–1973
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 89.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 91.0
GOAT Rank · 171
Greatest Football Midfielders of all time
This ranking is led by Luis Suárez Miramontes, Kristine Lilly and Hege Riise. GOAT Rank currently ranks 171 eligible Football midfielders using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Quick answer
According to GOAT Rank's current model, Luis Suárez Miramontes ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 93.3.
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
- 1990–2004
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1962
- Country
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- 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
- 1972–1991
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1956–1975
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- 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
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 91.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- 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
- 2002–2024
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1999–2018
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2008
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- 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
- Football
- Career
- 1998–2019
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–2000
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2022
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 99.0
- 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
- 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
- 1964–1982
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Football
- Career
- 2013–active
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- 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
- 2004–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1968–1991
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2013–2023
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1940–1958
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2007–2024
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1988–2008
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–2015
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2015
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 83.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1961
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1997–2015
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2022
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2017
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Luis Suárez Miramontes | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1953–1973 | 93.3 |
| 14 | Kristine Lilly | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2010 | 92.0 |
| 20 | Hege Riise | Football | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1990–2004 | 91.4 |
| 21 | Juan Alberto Schiaffino | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 1946–1962 | 91.2 |
| 28 | Carli Lloyd | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2005–2021 | 90.5 |
| 29 | Ricardo Bochini | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1972–1991 | 90.2 |
| 33 | Bobby Charlton | Football | 🏴 England | 1956–1975 | 89.9 |
| 36 | Xabi Alonso | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2000–2017 | 89.8 |
| 37 | Yaya Touré | Football | 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast | 2002–2020 | 89.8 |
| 38 | Alexia Putellas | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2010–active | 89.7 |
| 46 | Aitana Bonmatí | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2016–active | 89.4 |
| 49 | Julie Foudy | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 89.2 |
| 54 | Enzo Francescoli | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 1980–1997 | 89.1 |
| 64 | Andrés Iniesta | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2002–2024 | 88.8 |
| 69 | Camille Abily | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1999–2018 | 88.8 |
| 70 | Renate Lingor | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1991–2008 | 88.8 |
| 72 | Andreas Möller | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1986–2004 | 88.8 |
| 73 | Xavi Hernández | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1998–2019 | 88.7 |
| 80 | Lothar Matthäus | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–2000 | 88.4 |
| 90 | Formiga | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1993–2022 | 88.2 |
| 92 | Bernd Schuster | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–1997 | 88.2 |
| 93 | David Josué Jiménez Silva | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2005–2023 | 88.2 |
| 94 | Ivan Rakitić | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 2006–active | 88.2 |
| 100 | José Martínez Sánchez | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1964–1982 | 87.9 |
| 105 | Marco Verratti | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2008–active | 87.7 |
| 107 | Sherida Spitse | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2006–active | 87.7 |
| 115 | Bettina Wiegmann | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1989–2003 | 87.5 |
| 117 | Martina Voss-Tecklenburg | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1984–1999 | 87.5 |
| 118 | Lauren Holiday | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2007–2015 | 87.5 |
| 119 | Wesley Sneijder | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2003–2019 | 87.5 |
| 122 | Joshua Kimmich | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2013–active | 87.4 |
| 124 | Luka Modrić | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 2003–active | 87.3 |
| 127 | Cesc Fàbregas | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2004–2023 | 87.3 |
| 131 | Johan Neeskens | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1968–1991 | 87.2 |
| 135 | Julie Ertz | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2013–2023 | 87.2 |
| 137 | Thomaz Soares da Silva | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1940–1958 | 87.2 |
| 142 | Toni Kroos | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2007–2024 | 87.0 |
| 150 | Jorginho | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2010–active | 86.8 |
| 169 | İlkay Gündoğan | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2009–active | 86.4 |
| 177 | Sissi Oliveira | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1988–2008 | 86.2 |
| 182 | Shannon Boxx | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2003–2015 | 86.1 |
| 183 | Lena Goeßling | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2004–2021 | 86.1 |
| 186 | Rainer Bonhof | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1970–1983 | 86.0 |
| 187 | Homare Sawa | Football | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1991–2015 | 85.9 |
| 188 | Nils Liedholm | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1946–1961 | 85.9 |
| 191 | Rose Lavelle | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2017–active | 85.9 |
| 200 | Therese Sjögran | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1997–2015 | 85.8 |
| 202 | Kevin De Bruyne | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2008–active | 85.7 |
| 221 | Jill Scott | Football | 🏴 England | 2006–2022 | 85.5 |
| 230 | Melanie Behringer | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2005–2017 | 85.4 |
Compare the leaders
Luis Suárez Miramontes 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.
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