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

1701

Nicklas Lidström

78.4

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1988–2012
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 87.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Nicklas Lidström

1702

Dominik Hašek

78.4

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1981–2011
Country: 🇨🇿 Czechia

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 86.0

Athlete: Dominik Hašek

1703

Aaron Donald

78.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 2014–2023
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Aaron Donald

1704

Steve Ovett

78.4

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1973–1991
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

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

Athlete: Steve Ovett

1705

Roberta Vinci

78.4

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1999–2018
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Roberta Vinci

1706

Chipper Jones

78.4

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1993–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 92.0

Athlete: Chipper Jones

1707

Vera Zvonareva

78.4

Sport: Tennis
Career: 2000–active
Country: 🇷🇺 Russia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Vera Zvonareva

1708

George Blanda

78.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1949–1975
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 99.0

Athlete: George Blanda

1709

Laura Serrano

78.4

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1994–2010
Country: 🇲🇽 Mexico

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

Athlete: Laura Serrano

1710

Steve Largent

78.4

Sport: American Football
Career: 1976–1989
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 90.0

Athlete: Steve Largent

1711

Basil Butcher

78.4

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1954–1972
Country: 🇬🇾 West Indies

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Basil Butcher

1712

George Armstrong

78.4

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1949–1971
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 92.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: George Armstrong

1713

Andoni Goikoetxea

78.4

Sport: Football
Career: 1976–1990
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

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

Athlete: Andoni Goikoetxea

1714

Vincent Candela

78.4

Sport: Football
Career: 1993–2007
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 78.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 75.0
Honours: 85.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Vincent Candela

1715

Jens-Peter Berndt

78.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1985–1992
Country: 🇩🇪 Germany

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Jens-Peter Berndt

1716

Süreyya Ayhan

78.4

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1999–2005
Country: 🇹🇷 Turkey

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

Athlete: Süreyya Ayhan

1717

Eric Cantona

78.3

Sport: Football
Career: 1983–1997
Country: 🇫🇷 France

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

Athlete: Eric Cantona

1718

Bobby Hull

78.3

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1957–1980
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

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

Athlete: Bobby Hull

1719

Tigst Assefa

78.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 2012–active
Country: 🇪🇹 Ethiopia

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Tigst Assefa

1720

Manuel Santana

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1958–1973
Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

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

Athlete: Manuel Santana

1721

Ike Quartey

78.3

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1988–2006
Country: 🇬🇭 Ghana

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

Athlete: Ike Quartey

1722

Gerald Patterson

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1914–1932
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

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

Athlete: Gerald Patterson

1723

Matthew Le Tissier

78.3

Sport: Football
Career: 1986–2002
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 56.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Matthew Le Tissier

1724

James Rodríguez

78.3

Sport: Football
Career: 2010–active
Country: 🇨🇴 Colombia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 78.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: James Rodríguez

1725

World B. Free

78.3

Sport: Basketball
Career: 1975–1988
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 72.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: World B. Free

1726

Yui Ohashi

78.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2014–2024
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan

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

Athlete: Yui Ohashi

1727

William Larned

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1891–1911
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: William Larned

1728

Derrick Brooks

78.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1995–2008
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Derrick Brooks

1729

Doug Atkins

78.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1953–1969
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Doug Atkins

1730

Leo Nomellini

78.3

Sport: American Football
Career: 1950–1963
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Leo Nomellini

1731

Holcombe Ward

78.3

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1899–1906
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 88.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Holcombe Ward

1732

Mike Denness

78.3

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1959–1980
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

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

Athlete: Mike Denness

1733

Sanjay Ayre

78.3

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1999–2010
Country: 🇯🇲 Jamaica

Peak: 86.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Sanjay Ayre

1734

Stan Musial

78.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1941–1963
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 89.0
Statistics: 94.0
Honours: 89.0
Longevity: 94.0

Athlete: Stan Musial

1735

Aaron Rodgers

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 2005–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Aaron Rodgers

1736

Vyacheslav Fetisov

78.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1974–1998
Country: 🇷🇺 Russia

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

Athlete: Vyacheslav Fetisov

1737

Aaron Pryor

78.2

Sport: Boxing
Career: 1976–1990
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Aaron Pryor

1738

Babar Azam

78.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇵🇰 Pakistan

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Babar Azam

1739

Dan Brouthers

78.2

Sport: Baseball
Career: 1879–1904
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 96.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Dan Brouthers

1740

Anatoliy Bondarchuk

78.2

Sport: Athletics
Career: 1965–1976
Country: 🇺🇦 Ukraine

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Anatoliy Bondarchuk

1741

Brian Dawkins

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1996–2011
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Brian Dawkins

1742

Chuck Bednarik

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1949–1962
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Chuck Bednarik

1743

Jim Parker

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1957–1967
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 90.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 90.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Jim Parker

1744

Richard Dent

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1983–1997
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Richard Dent

1745

Mel Renfro

78.2

Sport: American Football
Career: 1964–1977
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

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

Athlete: Mel Renfro

1746

Bernard Bosanquet

78.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1898–1919
Country: 🇬🇧 England

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

Athlete: Bernard Bosanquet

1747

Harry Brook

78.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇬🇧 England

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 92.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Harry Brook

1748

Neil Adcock

78.2

Sport: Cricket
Career: 1952–1963
Country: 🇿🇦 South Africa

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Neil Adcock

1749

Václav Nedomanský

78.2

Sport: Ice Hockey
Career: 1962–1983
Country: 🇨🇿 Czechia

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

Athlete: Václav Nedomanský

1750

Herbert Lawford

78.2

Sport: Tennis
Career: 1878–1893
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Herbert Lawford

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
1701	Nicklas Lidström	Ice Hockey	🇸🇪 Sweden	1988–2012	78.4
1702	Dominik Hašek	Ice Hockey	🇨🇿 Czechia	1981–2011	78.4
1703	Aaron Donald	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2014–2023	78.4
1704	Steve Ovett	Athletics	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1973–1991	78.4
1705	Roberta Vinci	Tennis	🇮🇹 Italy	1999–2018	78.4
1706	Chipper Jones	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2012	78.4
1707	Vera Zvonareva	Tennis	🇷🇺 Russia	2000–active	78.4
1708	George Blanda	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1949–1975	78.4
1709	Laura Serrano	Boxing	🇲🇽 Mexico	1994–2010	78.4
1710	Steve Largent	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1989	78.4
1711	Basil Butcher	Cricket	🇬🇾 West Indies	1954–1972	78.4
1712	George Armstrong	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1949–1971	78.4
1713	Andoni Goikoetxea	Football	🇪🇸 Spain	1976–1990	78.4
1714	Vincent Candela	Football	🇫🇷 France	1993–2007	78.4
1715	Jens-Peter Berndt	Swimming	🇩🇪 Germany	1985–1992	78.4
1716	Süreyya Ayhan	Athletics	🇹🇷 Turkey	1999–2005	78.4
1717	Eric Cantona	Football	🇫🇷 France	1983–1997	78.3
1718	Bobby Hull	Ice Hockey	🇨🇦 Canada	1957–1980	78.3
1719	Tigst Assefa	Athletics	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	2012–active	78.3
1720	Manuel Santana	Tennis	🇪🇸 Spain	1958–1973	78.3
1721	Ike Quartey	Boxing	🇬🇭 Ghana	1988–2006	78.3
1722	Gerald Patterson	Tennis	🇦🇺 Australia	1914–1932	78.3
1723	Matthew Le Tissier	Football	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	1986–2002	78.3
1724	James Rodríguez	Football	🇨🇴 Colombia	2010–active	78.3
1725	World B. Free	Basketball	🇺🇸 United States	1975–1988	78.3
1726	Yui Ohashi	Swimming	🇯🇵 Japan	2014–2024	78.3
1727	William Larned	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1891–1911	78.3
1728	Derrick Brooks	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1995–2008	78.3
1729	Doug Atkins	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1953–1969	78.3
1730	Leo Nomellini	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1950–1963	78.3
1731	Holcombe Ward	Tennis	🇺🇸 United States	1899–1906	78.3
1732	Mike Denness	Cricket	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1959–1980	78.3
1733	Sanjay Ayre	Athletics	🇯🇲 Jamaica	1999–2010	78.3
1734	Stan Musial	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1941–1963	78.2
1735	Aaron Rodgers	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	2005–active	78.2
1736	Vyacheslav Fetisov	Ice Hockey	🇷🇺 Russia	1974–1998	78.2
1737	Aaron Pryor	Boxing	🇺🇸 United States	1976–1990	78.2
1738	Babar Azam	Cricket	🇵🇰 Pakistan	2015–active	78.2
1739	Dan Brouthers	Baseball	🇺🇸 United States	1879–1904	78.2
1740	Anatoliy Bondarchuk	Athletics	🇺🇦 Ukraine	1965–1976	78.2
1741	Brian Dawkins	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1996–2011	78.2
1742	Chuck Bednarik	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1949–1962	78.2
1743	Jim Parker	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1957–1967	78.2
1744	Richard Dent	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1983–1997	78.2
1745	Mel Renfro	American Football	🇺🇸 United States	1964–1977	78.2
1746	Bernard Bosanquet	Cricket	🇬🇧 England	1898–1919	78.2
1747	Harry Brook	Cricket	🇬🇧 England	2016–active	78.2
1748	Neil Adcock	Cricket	🇿🇦 South Africa	1952–1963	78.2
1749	Václav Nedomanský	Ice Hockey	🇨🇿 Czechia	1962–1983	78.2
1750	Herbert Lawford	Tennis	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1878–1893	78.2

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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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