- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1998–2015
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 87.0
- Statistics
- 87.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
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
- Tennis
- Career
- 1956–1979
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1920–1934
- Country
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- Peak
- 95.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1940–1958
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1968–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1991–2009
- Country
- 🇨🇩 DR Congo
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1923–1939
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1993–2008
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1958–1973
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1999–2020
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2002
- Country
- 🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Peak
- 91.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 87.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1999–2011
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1883–1914
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2023
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1992–2015
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1960–1974
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1984–2003
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 1947–1974
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 94.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1949–1967
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2015
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1970–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1994–2014
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2002–2021
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1998–2019
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 94.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1932–1936
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 97.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1984–2001
- Country
- 🇨🇺 Cuba
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇵🇱 Poland
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1982–1999
- Country
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2006–2022
- Country
- 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1946–1956
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1957–1976
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1980–1996
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1974–1992
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–2017
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 95.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1990–2014
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 96.0
- 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
- Basketball
- Career
- 2008–2022
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- 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
- Football
- Career
- 2010–2024
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- 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
- 1988–2008
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 251 | Ronaldinho | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1998–2015 | 86.6 |
| 252 | Rod Laver | Tennis | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1956–1979 | 86.6 |
| 253 | Paavo Nurmi | Athletics | 🇫🇮 Finland | 1920–1934 | 86.6 |
| 254 | Gunnar Nordahl | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1940–1958 | 86.6 |
| 255 | Elvin Hayes | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1968–1984 | 86.6 |
| 256 | Dikembe Mutombo | Basketball | 🇨🇩 DR Congo | 1991–2009 | 86.6 |
| 257 | Dixie Dean | Football | 🏴 England | 1923–1939 | 86.6 |
| 258 | Joe Calzaghe | Boxing | 🏴 Wales | 1993–2008 | 86.6 |
| 259 | Hal Greer | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1958–1973 | 86.6 |
| 260 | Iker Casillas | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1999–2020 | 86.5 |
| 261 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Basketball | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 1984–2002 | 86.5 |
| 262 | Eliud Kipchoge | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2002–active | 86.5 |
| 263 | Aaron Peirsol | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1999–2011 | 86.5 |
| 264 | Bob Fitzsimmons | Boxing | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1883–1914 | 86.5 |
| 265 | Gerard Piqué | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2005–2023 | 86.5 |
| 266 | Haile Gebrselassie | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 1992–2015 | 86.4 |
| 267 | Jerry West | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1960–1974 | 86.4 |
| 268 | John Stockton | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–2003 | 86.4 |
| 269 | Pancho Gonzales | Tennis | 🇺🇸 United States | 1947–1974 | 86.4 |
| 270 | Raymond Kopa | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1949–1967 | 86.4 |
| 271 | Célia Šašić | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2005–2015 | 86.4 |
| 272 | Nate Archibald | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1970–1984 | 86.4 |
| 273 | Gianluca Zambrotta | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1994–2014 | 86.4 |
| 274 | Griedge Mbock | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2012–active | 86.4 |
| 275 | Sonia Bermúdez | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2002–2021 | 86.4 |
| 276 | İlkay Gündoğan | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2009–active | 86.4 |
| 277 | Dirk Nowitzki | Basketball | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1998–2019 | 86.3 |
| 278 | Jesse Owens | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1932–1936 | 86.3 |
| 279 | Javier Sotomayor | Athletics | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 1984–2001 | 86.3 |
| 280 | Anita Włodarczyk | Athletics | 🇵🇱 Poland | 2006–active | 86.3 |
| 281 | Stefka Kostadinova | Athletics | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 1982–1999 | 86.3 |
| 282 | Gennadiy Golovkin | Boxing | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 2006–2022 | 86.3 |
| 283 | George Mikan | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1946–1956 | 86.3 |
| 284 | Éder Jofre | Boxing | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1957–1976 | 86.3 |
| 285 | Hortência Marcari | Basketball | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1980–1996 | 86.3 |
| 286 | Harald Schumacher | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1974–1992 | 86.3 |
| 287 | Víctor Valdés | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2003–2017 | 86.3 |
| 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 |
| 293 | Sylvia Fowles | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 2008–2022 | 86.2 |
| 294 | Clive Lloyd | Cricket | 🏴 West Indies | 1963–1988 | 86.2 |
| 295 | Arjen Robben | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2000–2021 | 86.2 |
| 296 | Alex Morgan | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2010–2024 | 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 |
| 300 | Sissi Oliveira | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1988–2008 | 86.2 |
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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