- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
GOAT Rank · 5087
Greatest athletes of all time
This ranking is led by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Phelps. GOAT Rank currently ranks 5087 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
- 1989–2005
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 85.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1981–2002
- Country
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 75.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇪🇬 Egypt
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- 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
- 1944–1958
- Country
- 🇨🇿 Czechia
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1981–1998
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2002–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1947–1958
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1986
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2018–active
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1997–2013
- Country
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1946–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1986–2003
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 2002–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1994–2015
- Country
- 🇬🇾 Guyana
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1977–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1996–2016
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2013
- Country
- 🏴 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2000
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2003
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2015
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1989–2011
- Country
- 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1990
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1969–1983
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1972–1986
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1985–1998
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1978–1994
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1978–1997
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1991–2001
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1972–1978
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- 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
- Athletics
- Career
- 1992–2006
- Country
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- 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
- Football
- Career
- 1965–1979
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2002–2022
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1998–2011
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1990–2000
- Country
- 🇩🇿 Algeria
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1985–2002
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1987–2006
- Country
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1987–2004
- Country
- 🇧🇾 Belarus
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1981–1998
- Country
- 🇻🇮 Virgin Islands
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | Kerolin Nicoli | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2017–active | 84.1 |
| 602 | Demetrio Albertini | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1989–2005 | 84.1 |
| 603 | Carlos Valderrama | Football | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 1981–2002 | 84.1 |
| 604 | Mohamed Salah | Football | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 2010–active | 84.0 |
| 605 | Wayne Rooney | Football | 🏴 United Kingdom | 2002–2021 | 84.0 |
| 606 | Emil Zátopek | Athletics | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1944–1958 | 84.0 |
| 607 | Jürgen Klinsmann | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1981–1998 | 84.0 |
| 608 | Sanya Richards-Ross | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002–2016 | 84.0 |
| 609 | Betty Wilson | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1947–1958 | 84.0 |
| 610 | John Robertson | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1970–1986 | 84.0 |
| 611 | Paul Breitner | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1970–1983 | 84.0 |
| 612 | Beatrice Chebet | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2018–active | 84.0 |
| 613 | Tatyana Lebedeva | Athletics | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1997–2013 | 84.0 |
| 614 | Marques Haynes | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1946–1992 | 84.0 |
| 615 | Colin Jackson | Athletics | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1986–2003 | 84.0 |
| 616 | Swin Cash | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2002–2016 | 84.0 |
| 617 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | Cricket | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 1994–2015 | 84.0 |
| 618 | Sippy Woodhead | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1977–1984 | 84.0 |
| 619 | Enzo Fernández | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 2019–active | 84.0 |
| 620 | Rachel Yankey | Football | 🏴 England | 1996–2016 | 84.0 |
| 621 | Kheira Hamraoui | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2007–active | 84.0 |
| 622 | Paul Scholes | Football | 🏴 United Kingdom | 1993–2013 | 83.9 |
| 623 | Charles Barkley | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–2000 | 83.9 |
| 624 | Scottie Pippen | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1987–2004 | 83.9 |
| 625 | Jonathan Edwards | Athletics | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1988–2003 | 83.9 |
| 626 | David Trezeguet | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1993–2015 | 83.9 |
| 627 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Cricket | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 1989–2011 | 83.9 |
| 628 | Dennis Johnson | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1990 | 83.9 |
| 629 | Spencer Haywood | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1969–1983 | 83.9 |
| 630 | Bob McAdoo | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1986 | 83.9 |
| 631 | Matthias Sammer | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1985–1998 | 83.9 |
| 632 | Gary Lineker | Football | 🏴 England | 1978–1994 | 83.9 |
| 633 | Careca | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1978–1997 | 83.9 |
| 634 | Donovan Bailey | Athletics | 🇨🇦 Canada | 1991–2001 | 83.9 |
| 635 | Shirley Babashoff | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1978 | 83.9 |
| 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 |
| 639 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Athletics | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 1992–2006 | 83.8 |
| 640 | Edinson Cavani | Football | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 2006–active | 83.8 |
| 641 | Berti Vogts | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1965–1979 | 83.8 |
| 642 | Alia Atkinson | Swimming | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2002–2022 | 83.8 |
| 643 | Rai Benjamin | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 2017–active | 83.8 |
| 644 | Claire Taylor | Cricket | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1998–2011 | 83.8 |
| 645 | Megan Schutt | Cricket | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2012–active | 83.8 |
| 646 | Nourredine Morceli | Athletics | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 1990–2000 | 83.8 |
| 647 | Zvonimir Boban | Football | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1985–2002 | 83.8 |
| 648 | Diego Simeone | Football | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1987–2006 | 83.8 |
| 649 | Igor Astapkovich | Athletics | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 1987–2004 | 83.8 |
| 650 | Julian Jackson | Boxing | 🇻🇮 Virgin Islands | 1981–1998 | 83.8 |
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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