- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1995–2017
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
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
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2008
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1964–1978
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1976–1996
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2006–2023
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2010–2024
- Country
- 🇮🇳 India
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1989–2011
- Country
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1963–1974
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1994–2013
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1984–1999
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1971–1989
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1998
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2014
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1917–1939
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1991–2009
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1997–2015
- Country
- 🇮🇳 India
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1921–1929
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1973–1987
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1983–2001
- Country
- 🇲🇪 Montenegro
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1938–1960
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1953–1972
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1982–2004
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 83.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1997–2019
- Country
- 🇨🇲 Cameroon
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2001–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 89.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1965–1972
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1898–1938
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2006
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2004–2017
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1979–2008
- Country
- 🇬🇭 Ghana
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1894–1930
- Country
- 🏴 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1949–1974
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1992–2014
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1992–2009
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1974–1989
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–1991
- Country
- 🇹🇭 Thailand
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1946–1971
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1985–2004
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1971–1993
- Country
- 🏴 West Indies
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1987–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1916–1936
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1983–2002
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 72.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2003–2021
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1977–1997
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1988–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- 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
- 1985–1993
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1949–1969
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 430 | Andrea Pirlo | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1995–2017 | 85.1 |
| 433 | Sergio Busquets | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2008–active | 85.1 |
| 434 | Lilian Thuram | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1991–2008 | 85.1 |
| 435 | Jupp Heynckes | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1964–1978 | 85.1 |
| 436 | Allan Border | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1976–1996 | 85.1 |
| 437 | Stuart Broad | Cricket | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2006–2023 | 85.1 |
| 438 | Ravichandran Ashwin | Cricket | 🇮🇳 India | 2010–2024 | 85.1 |
| 440 | Marco Antonio Barrera | Boxing | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 1989–2011 | 85.1 |
| 441 | Jerry Lucas | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1963–1974 | 85.1 |
| 442 | Grant Hill | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1994–2013 | 85.1 |
| 443 | Orlando Canizales | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–1999 | 85.1 |
| 444 | Dominique Rocheteau | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1971–1989 | 85.1 |
| 446 | Andreas Brehme | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1979–1998 | 85.1 |
| 447 | Alessandro Nesta | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1993–2014 | 85.0 |
| 448 | Dutch Dehnert | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1917–1939 | 85.0 |
| 449 | Matthew Hayden | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1991–2009 | 85.0 |
| 450 | Virender Sehwag | Cricket | 🇮🇳 India | 1997–2015 | 85.0 |
| 452 | Johnny Weissmuller | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1921–1929 | 85.0 |
| 453 | Paolo Rossi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1973–1987 | 85.0 |
| 454 | Dejan Savićević | Football | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 1983–2001 | 85.0 |
| 455 | Gunnar Gren | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1938–1960 | 85.0 |
| 456 | Lorenzo Insigne | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2009–active | 85.0 |
| 459 | Garrincha | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1953–1972 | 84.9 |
| 460 | Roberto Baggio | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1982–2004 | 84.9 |
| 461 | Samuel Eto'o | Football | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 1997–2019 | 84.9 |
| 462 | Kenenisa Bekele | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 2001–2023 | 84.9 |
| 463 | Mark Spitz | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1965–1972 | 84.9 |
| 464 | Jack Johnson | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1898–1938 | 84.9 |
| 465 | Lars Riedel | Athletics | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1988–2006 | 84.9 |
| 466 | Andre Ward | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 2004–2017 | 84.9 |
| 467 | Azumah Nelson | Boxing | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 1979–2008 | 84.9 |
| 468 | Sydney Barnes | Cricket | 🏴 United Kingdom | 1894–1930 | 84.9 |
| 470 | John Charles | Football | 🏴 Wales | 1949–1974 | 84.9 |
| 471 | Clarence Seedorf | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1992–2014 | 84.9 |
| 472 | Paul Tergat | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1992–2009 | 84.9 |
| 473 | Sócrates | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1974–1989 | 84.9 |
| 474 | Khaosai Galaxy | Boxing | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 1980–1991 | 84.9 |
| 475 | Harold Johnson | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1946–1971 | 84.9 |
| 477 | Thomas Jürgen Häßler | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1985–2004 | 84.9 |
| 478 | Viv Richards | Cricket | 🏴 West Indies | 1971–1993 | 84.8 |
| 479 | David Robinson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2003 | 84.8 |
| 482 | Ricardo Zamora | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1916–1936 | 84.8 |
| 485 | Tony Adams | Football | 🏴 England | 1983–2002 | 84.8 |
| 486 | László Cseh | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2003–2021 | 84.8 |
| 488 | Alexander Isak | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2016–active | 84.8 |
| 490 | Sugar Ray Leonard | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1997 | 84.7 |
| 491 | Bernard Hopkins | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1988–2016 | 84.7 |
| 492 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 2005–active | 84.7 |
| 493 | Tamás Darnyi | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 1985–1993 | 84.7 |
| 494 | Fred Trueman | Cricket | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1949–1969 | 84.7 |
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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