GOAT Rank · 4154

Greatest male of all time

This ranking is led by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Phelps. GOAT Rank currently ranks 4154 eligible athletes 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

1788

Willie Brown

78.0

Sport: American Football
Career: 1963–1978
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Willie Brown

1789

Russell Bowie

78.0

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1898–1910
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Russell Bowie

1790

Punch Broadbent

78.0

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1912–1929
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Punch Broadbent

1791

Tom Blundell

78.0

Sport: Cricket
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇳🇿 New Zealand

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Tom Blundell

1792

Patrick Stephan Kluivert

78.0

Sport: Football
Career: 1995–2008
Country: 🇳🇱 Netherlands

Peak: 85.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 75.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Patrick Stephan Kluivert

1793

Frank Baltrusch

78.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1986–1992
Country: 🇩🇪 Germany

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Frank Baltrusch

1794

Jack Nicklaus

77.9

Sport: Golf
Career: 1961–1986
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 94.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 99.0
Longevity: 99.0

Athlete: Jack Nicklaus

1795

Reggie White

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1984–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 87.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Reggie White

1798

Mariano Rivera

77.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1990–2013
Country: 🇵🇦 Panama

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Mariano Rivera

1799

Marco Reus

77.9

Sport: Football
Career: 2006–active
Country: 🇩🇪 Germany

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 70.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Marco Reus

1800

Sonny Liston

77.9

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1953–1970
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Sonny Liston

1801

Nat Clifton

77.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1942–1958
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Nat Clifton

1803

Pop Lloyd

77.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1906–1932
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Pop Lloyd

1804

Gene Upshaw

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1967–1981
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Gene Upshaw

1805

Art Shell

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1968–1982
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Art Shell

1806

Andreas Almgren

77.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2014–active
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Andreas Almgren

1808

Luol Deng

77.9

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2004–2019
Country: 🇬🇧 Great Britain

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Luol Deng

1810

Rowdy Gaines

77.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1978–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Rowdy Gaines

1811

Jimmie Foxx

77.9

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1925–1945
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Jimmie Foxx

1812

Mel Hein

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1931–1945
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Mel Hein

1813

Guy Lapointe

77.9

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1968–1984
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Guy Lapointe

1814

Dan Waern

77.9

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1954–1962
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Dan Waern

1815

Jim Ringo

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1953–1967
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Jim Ringo

1816

Nick Buoniconti

77.9

Sport: American Football
Career: 1962–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Nick Buoniconti

1817

Bevan Congdon

77.9

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1960–1978
Country: 🇳🇿 New Zealand

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Bevan Congdon

1818

Arthur Carr

77.9

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1910–1935
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Arthur Carr

1819

Jakob Andkjær

77.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2006–2016
Country: 🇩🇰 Denmark

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Jakob Andkjær

1820

Romain Barnier

77.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1994–2004
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Romain Barnier

1821

Rafael Leão

77.9

Sport: Football
Career: 2018–active
Country: 🇵🇹 Portugal

Peak: 85.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 75.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Rafael Leão

1823

Jean-Pierre Papin

77.8

Sport: Football
Career: 1984–1999
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Jean-Pierre Papin

1824

Randy Johnson

77.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1988–2009
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Randy Johnson

1828

George Brett

77.8

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1973–1993
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: George Brett

1830

Marián Hossa

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1997–2017
Country: 🇸🇰 Slovakia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Marián Hossa

1831

Jamie Baulch

77.8

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1993–2005
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Jamie Baulch

1833

Nuno Gomes

77.8

Sport: Football
Career: 1994–2015
Country: 🇵🇹 Portugal

Peak: 80.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 78.0
Honours: 74.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Nuno Gomes

1836

Pablo Morales

77.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1984–1992
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Pablo Morales

1837

Lars Frölander

77.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1992–2008
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 78.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Lars Frölander

1841

Harry Gallatin

77.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1948–1958
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Harry Gallatin

1842

Sid Luckman

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1939–1950
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Sid Luckman

1843

Mark Howe

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1973–1995
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Mark Howe

1844

Marat Safin

77.8

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1997–2009
Country: 🇷🇺 Russia

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Marat Safin

1845

Joe Perry

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1948–1963
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Joe Perry

1846

Frank Gatski

77.8

Sport: American Football
Career: 1946–1957
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 96.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Frank Gatski

1847

Syd Howe

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1929–1946
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Syd Howe

1848

Jack Marshall

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1900–1917
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Jack Marshall

1849

Daniel Van Buyten

77.8

Sport: Football
Career: 1999–2014
Country: 🇧🇪 Belgium

Peak: 78.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 76.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Daniel Van Buyten

1850

Mário Jardel

77.8

Sport: Football
Career: 1992–2011
Country: 🇧🇷 Brazil

Peak: 85.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 75.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Mário Jardel

1851

Johnny Bower

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1953–1970
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Johnny Bower

1852

Inman Jackson

77.8

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1930–1942
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 80.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Inman Jackson

1853

Mike Gartner

77.8

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1979–1998
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Mike Gartner

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
1788	Willie Brown	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1963–1978	78.0
1789	Russell Bowie	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1898–1910	78.0
1790	Punch Broadbent	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1912–1929	78.0
1791	Tom Blundell	Cricket	🇳🇿 New Zealand	2013–active	78.0
1792	Patrick Stephan Kluivert	Football	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1995–2008	78.0
1793	Frank Baltrusch	Swimming	🇩🇪 Germany	1986–1992	78.0
1794	Jack Nicklaus	Golf	🇺🇸 United States	1961–1986	77.9
1795	Reggie White	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1984–2000	77.9
1798	Mariano Rivera	Baseball	🇵🇦 Panama	1990–2013	77.9
1799	Marco Reus	Football	🇩🇪 Germany	2006–active	77.9
1800	Sonny Liston	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1970	77.9
1801	Nat Clifton	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1942–1958	77.9
1803	Pop Lloyd	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1906–1932	77.9
1804	Gene Upshaw	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1981	77.9
1805	Art Shell	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1968–1982	77.9
1806	Andreas Almgren	Athletics	🇸🇪 Sweden	2014–active	77.9
1808	Luol Deng	Basketball	🇬🇧 Great Britain	2004–2019	77.9
1810	Rowdy Gaines	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1978–1984	77.9
1811	Jimmie Foxx	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1925–1945	77.9
1812	Mel Hein	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1931–1945	77.9
1813	Guy Lapointe	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1968–1984	77.9
1814	Dan Waern	Athletics	🇸🇪 Sweden	1954–1962	77.9
1815	Jim Ringo	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1967	77.9
1816	Nick Buoniconti	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1962–1976	77.9
1817	Bevan Congdon	Cricket	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1960–1978	77.9
1818	Arthur Carr	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1910–1935	77.9
1819	Jakob Andkjær	Swimming	🇩🇰 Denmark	2006–2016	77.9
1820	Romain Barnier	Swimming	🇫🇷 France	1994–2004	77.9
1821	Rafael Leão	Football	🇵🇹 Portugal	2018–active	77.9
1823	Jean-Pierre Papin	Football	🇫🇷 France	1984–1999	77.8
1824	Randy Johnson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1988–2009	77.8
1828	George Brett	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1973–1993	77.8
1830	Marián Hossa	Ice Hockey	🇸🇰 Slovakia	1997–2017	77.8
1831	Jamie Baulch	Athletics	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1993–2005	77.8
1833	Nuno Gomes	Football	🇵🇹 Portugal	1994–2015	77.8
1836	Pablo Morales	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1984–1992	77.8
1837	Lars Frölander	Swimming	🇸🇪 Sweden	1992–2008	77.8
1841	Harry Gallatin	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1948–1958	77.8
1842	Sid Luckman	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1939–1950	77.8
1843	Mark Howe	Ice Hockey	🇺🇸 United States	1973–1995	77.8
1844	Marat Safin	Tennis	🇷🇺 Russia	1997–2009	77.8
1845	Joe Perry	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1948–1963	77.8
1846	Frank Gatski	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1946–1957	77.8
1847	Syd Howe	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1929–1946	77.8
1848	Jack Marshall	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1900–1917	77.8
1849	Daniel Van Buyten	Football	🇧🇪 Belgium	1999–2014	77.8
1850	Mário Jardel	Football	🇧🇷 Brazil	1992–2011	77.8
1851	Johnny Bower	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1953–1970	77.8
1852	Inman Jackson	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1930–1942	77.8
1853	Mike Gartner	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1979–1998	77.8

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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo

Read 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 methodology

Frequently 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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