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

1501

Lew Jenkins

79.4

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1935–1950
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Lew Jenkins

1502

Ted Hendricks

79.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1969–1983
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 94.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Ted Hendricks

1503

Aurèle Joliat

79.4

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1922–1938
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

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

Athlete: Aurèle Joliat

1504

Dit Clapper

79.4

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1927–1947
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

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

Athlete: Dit Clapper

1505

Nahikari García

79.4

Sport: Football
Career: 2014–active
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

Peak: 85.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 76.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Nahikari García

1506

Adriana Silva

79.4

Sport: Football
Career: 2007–active
Country: 🇧🇷 Brazil

Peak: 83.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Adriana Silva

1507

Missy Franklin

79.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2010–2018
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Missy Franklin

1508

Cathy Freeman

79.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1990–2003
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Cathy Freeman

1509

Cap Anson

79.3

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1871–1897
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 96.0

Athlete: Cap Anson

1510

Jay-Jay Okocha

79.3

Sport: Football
Career: 1990–2008
Country: 🇳🇬 Nigeria

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

Athlete: Jay-Jay Okocha

1511

Louisa Nécib

79.3

Sport: Football
Career: 2005–2016
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 76.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Louisa Nécib

1512

Brendan Hansen

79.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2000–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Brendan Hansen

1513

Martin Crowe

79.3

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1982–1995
Country: 🇳🇿 New Zealand

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Martin Crowe

1514

Bob Lilly

79.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1961–1974
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Bob Lilly

1515

Robin Backhaus

79.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1971–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Robin Backhaus

1516

Bob Appleyard

79.3

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1950–1958
Country: 🇬🇧 England

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Bob Appleyard

1517

Fred Alexander

79.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1900–1921
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Fred Alexander

1518

Mervyn Rose

79.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1949–1959
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Mervyn Rose

1519

Al Attles

79.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1960–1971
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 84.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Al Attles

1520

Roger Blunt

79.3

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1917–1936
Country: 🇳🇿 New Zealand

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Roger Blunt

1521

Sidney Crosby

79.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 2005–active
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 91.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 89.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Sidney Crosby

1522

Martin Brodeur

79.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1991–2015
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 96.0

Athlete: Martin Brodeur

1523

Jean Béliveau

79.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1950–1971
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

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

Athlete: Jean Béliveau

1524

Cy Young

79.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1890–1911
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 92.0
Statistics: 98.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Cy Young

1525

Summer McIntosh

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2019–active
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Summer McIntosh

1526

Jayson Tatum

79.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2017–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Jayson Tatum

1527

Kevin Love

79.2

Sport: Basketball
Career: 2008–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 72.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Kevin Love

1528

Alan Page

79.2

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

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

Athlete: Alan Page

1529

Elizabeth Beisel

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2007–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Elizabeth Beisel

1530

Enith Brigitha

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1980
Country: 🇳🇱 Netherlands

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Enith Brigitha

1531

Jessica McCaskill

79.2

Sport: Boxing
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Jessica McCaskill

1532

Justin Tucker

79.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 2012–2024
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Justin Tucker

1533

David Wilkie

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1976
Country: 🇬🇧 Great Britain

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: David Wilkie

1534

Gunnar Larsson

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1968–1974
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Gunnar Larsson

1535

Stefano Baldini

79.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1993–2009
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

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

Athlete: Stefano Baldini

1536

Nigel Benn

79.2

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1987–1996
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Nigel Benn

1537

Saeed Anwar

79.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1989–2003
Country: 🇵🇰 Pakistan

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Saeed Anwar

1538

Ludmila Formanová

79.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1992–2003
Country: 🇨🇿 Czechia

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Ludmila Formanová

1539

Stéphan Caron

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1985–1992
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Stéphan Caron

1540

Barbara Bedford

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1990–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Barbara Bedford

1541

Franco Harris

79.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1972–1984
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Franco Harris

1542

Paul Krause

79.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1964–1979
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Paul Krause

1543

Joe Darling

79.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1893–1908
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Joe Darling

1544

Robert Wrenn

79.2

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1891–1900
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Robert Wrenn

1545

Aldo Serena

79.2

Sport: Football
Career: 1978–1993
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 82.0
Dominance: 75.0
Statistics: 76.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 75.0

Athlete: Aldo Serena

1546

Giuseppe Giannini

79.2

Sport: Football
Career: 1982–1999
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

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

Athlete: Giuseppe Giannini

1547

Marcos Senna

79.2

Sport: Football
Career: 1998–2015
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

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

Athlete: Marcos Senna

1548

Brian Brinkley

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1978
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Brian Brinkley

1549

Michael Chadwick

79.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2013–2021
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Michael Chadwick

1550

Ben Stokes

79.1

Sport: Cricket
Career: 2011–active
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 United Kingdom

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Ben Stokes

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
1501	Lew Jenkins	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1935–1950	79.4
1502	Ted Hendricks	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1969–1983	79.4
1503	Aurèle Joliat	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1922–1938	79.4
1504	Dit Clapper	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1927–1947	79.4
1505	Nahikari García	Football	🇪🇸 Spain	2014–active	79.4
1506	Adriana Silva	Football	🇧🇷 Brazil	2007–active	79.4
1507	Missy Franklin	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2010–2018	79.3
1508	Cathy Freeman	Athletics	🇦🇺 Australia	1990–2003	79.3
1509	Cap Anson	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1871–1897	79.3
1510	Jay-Jay Okocha	Football	🇳🇬 Nigeria	1990–2008	79.3
1511	Louisa Nécib	Football	🇫🇷 France	2005–2016	79.3
1512	Brendan Hansen	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2000–2012	79.3
1513	Martin Crowe	Cricket	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1982–1995	79.3
1514	Bob Lilly	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1961–1974	79.3
1515	Robin Backhaus	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1971–1976	79.3
1516	Bob Appleyard	Cricket	🇬🇧 England	1950–1958	79.3
1517	Fred Alexander	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1900–1921	79.3
1518	Mervyn Rose	Tennis	🇦🇺 Australia	1949–1959	79.3
1519	Al Attles	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1960–1971	79.3
1520	Roger Blunt	Cricket	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1917–1936	79.3
1521	Sidney Crosby	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	2005–active	79.2
1522	Martin Brodeur	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1991–2015	79.2
1523	Jean Béliveau	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1950–1971	79.2
1524	Cy Young	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1890–1911	79.2
1525	Summer McIntosh	Swimming	🇨🇦 Canada	2019–active	79.2
1526	Jayson Tatum	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2017–active	79.2
1527	Kevin Love	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	2008–active	79.2
1528	Alan Page	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1967–1981	79.2
1529	Elizabeth Beisel	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2016	79.2
1530	Enith Brigitha	Swimming	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1970–1980	79.2
1531	Jessica McCaskill	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	2015–active	79.2
1532	Justin Tucker	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2012–2024	79.2
1533	David Wilkie	Swimming	🇬🇧 Great Britain	1970–1976	79.2
1534	Gunnar Larsson	Swimming	🇸🇪 Sweden	1968–1974	79.2
1535	Stefano Baldini	Athletics	🇮🇹 Italy	1993–2009	79.2
1536	Nigel Benn	Boxing	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1987–1996	79.2
1537	Saeed Anwar	Cricket	🇵🇰 Pakistan	1989–2003	79.2
1538	Ludmila Formanová	Athletics	🇨🇿 Czechia	1992–2003	79.2
1539	Stéphan Caron	Swimming	🇫🇷 France	1985–1992	79.2
1540	Barbara Bedford	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2000	79.2
1541	Franco Harris	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1972–1984	79.2
1542	Paul Krause	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1964–1979	79.2
1543	Joe Darling	Cricket	🇦🇺 Australia	1893–1908	79.2
1544	Robert Wrenn	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1900	79.2
1545	Aldo Serena	Football	🇮🇹 Italy	1978–1993	79.2
1546	Giuseppe Giannini	Football	🇮🇹 Italy	1982–1999	79.2
1547	Marcos Senna	Football	🇪🇸 Spain	1998–2015	79.2
1548	Brian Brinkley	Swimming	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1970–1978	79.2
1549	Michael Chadwick	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2013–2021	79.2
1550	Ben Stokes	Cricket	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 United Kingdom	2011–active	79.1

Compare the leaders

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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