- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1990–2014
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
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
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1987
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–2005
- Country
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1940–1966
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1963–1988
- Country
- 🏴 West Indies
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2021
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1971–1988
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1940–1959
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1959–1976
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Ice Hockey
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 100.0
- Statistics
- 100.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1954–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- 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
- 1958–1977
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1996
- Country
- 🇨🇲 Cameroon
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–2010
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1990–2006
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- 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
- 1946–1961
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1974–1989
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 75.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1994–2014
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1995–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2023
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2013–active
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1973–1991
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1968–1989
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 82.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 74.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1980–1993
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1968–1983
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1968–1995
- Country
- 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1964–1983
- Country
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- 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
- 2001–2019
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1953–1974
- Country
- 🏴 West Indies
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1961
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1980–2002
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1983–1998
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1956–1974
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1984–2007
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1924–1945
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2018–active
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1986–2004
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1988–2006
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1995
- Country
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2011–active
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 288 | Ryan Giggs | Football | 🏴 Wales | 1990–2014 | 86.2 |
| 289 | Thomas Müller | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2008–active | 86.2 |
| 290 | Julius Erving | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1987 | 86.2 |
| 291 | Julio César Chávez | Boxing | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 1980–2005 | 86.2 |
| 292 | Willie Pep | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1940–1966 | 86.2 |
| 294 | Clive Lloyd | Cricket | 🏴 West Indies | 1963–1988 | 86.2 |
| 295 | Arjen Robben | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2000–2021 | 86.2 |
| 297 | Artis Gilmore | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1971–1988 | 86.2 |
| 298 | Hristo Stoichkov | Football | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 1984–2003 | 86.2 |
| 299 | Ezzard Charles | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1940–1959 | 86.2 |
| 302 | Amancio Amaro | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1959–1976 | 86.2 |
| 303 | Wayne Gretzky | Ice Hockey | 🇨🇦 Canada | 1979–1999 | 86.1 |
| 304 | Al Oerter | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1954–1980 | 86.1 |
| 305 | Robert Korzeniowski | Athletics | 🇵🇱 Poland | 1988–2004 | 86.1 |
| 307 | Gheorghe Hagi | Football | 🇷🇴 Romania | 1982–2001 | 86.1 |
| 308 | Emile Griffith | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1958–1977 | 86.1 |
| 312 | Adam Peaty | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2012–active | 86.0 |
| 313 | Roger Milla | Football | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 1970–1996 | 86.0 |
| 314 | Héctor Camacho | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1980–2010 | 86.0 |
| 315 | Giovane Élber | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1990–2006 | 86.0 |
| 316 | Rainer Bonhof | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1970–1983 | 86.0 |
| 321 | Nils Liedholm | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1946–1961 | 85.9 |
| 322 | Wilfredo Gómez | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1974–1989 | 85.9 |
| 328 | Vinícius Júnior | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2017–active | 85.9 |
| 329 | Thierry Henry | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1994–2014 | 85.8 |
| 330 | Kevin Garnett | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1995–2016 | 85.8 |
| 331 | Giorgio Chiellini | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2000–2023 | 85.8 |
| 332 | Alex English | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 85.8 |
| 333 | Artur Beterbiev | Boxing | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2013–active | 85.8 |
| 334 | Alan Hansen | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1973–1991 | 85.8 |
| 335 | Phil Neal | Football | 🏴 England | 1968–1989 | 85.8 |
| 337 | Kevin McHale | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1980–1993 | 85.8 |
| 338 | Krešimir Ćosić | Basketball | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1968–1983 | 85.8 |
| 339 | Alexis Argüello | Boxing | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 1968–1995 | 85.8 |
| 340 | Antonio Cervantes | Boxing | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 1964–1983 | 85.8 |
| 342 | Walter Zenga | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1979–1999 | 85.8 |
| 343 | Kevin De Bruyne | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2008–active | 85.7 |
| 344 | Fernando Torres | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2001–2019 | 85.7 |
| 347 | Garfield Sobers | Cricket | 🏴 West Indies | 1953–1974 | 85.6 |
| 348 | Giampiero Boniperti | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1946–1961 | 85.6 |
| 349 | Neville Southall | Football | 🏴 Wales | 1980–2002 | 85.6 |
| 351 | Clyde Drexler | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1983–1998 | 85.6 |
| 352 | Denis Law | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1956–1974 | 85.6 |
| 353 | Virgil Hill | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–2007 | 85.6 |
| 354 | Jack "Kid" Berg | Boxing | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1924–1945 | 85.6 |
| 355 | Julián Álvarez | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 2018–active | 85.6 |
| 356 | Robert Prosinečki | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1986–2004 | 85.6 |
| 357 | Sonny Anderson | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1988–2006 | 85.6 |
| 358 | Igor Belanov | Football | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 1979–1995 | 85.6 |
| 360 | Virgil van Dijk | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2011–active | 85.6 |
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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