- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1996–2009
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
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
- 1959–1976
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 85.0
- Sport
- Ice Hockey
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 100.0
- Dominance
- 100.0
- Statistics
- 100.0
- Honours
- 97.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1954–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2004
- Country
- 🇵🇱 Poland
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2013–active
- Country
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1982–2001
- Country
- 🇷🇴 Romania
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1958–1977
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–2015
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–2021
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Tennis
- Career
- 1960–1977
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 93.0
- Statistics
- 95.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1996
- Country
- 🇨🇲 Cameroon
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1980–2010
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1990–2006
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1970–1983
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 85.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1991–2015
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 83.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 85.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2007–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1991–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1976–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1961
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1974–1989
- Country
- 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2007
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–2024
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2024
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–active
- Country
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 75.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1994–2014
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1995–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2023
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1976–1991
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 2013–active
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 96.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1973–1991
- Country
- 🏴 Scotland
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 94.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1968–1989
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 82.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 74.0
- Honours
- 96.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1980–1993
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Basketball
- Career
- 1968–1983
- Country
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1968–1995
- Country
- 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Boxing
- Career
- 1964–1983
- Country
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1997–2015
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1979–1999
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 85.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2008–active
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2019
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1986–2001
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 89.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2015–active
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Cricket
- Career
- 1953–1974
- Country
- 🏴 West Indies
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 94.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1946–1961
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1980–2002
- Country
- 🏴 Wales
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1936–1952
- Country
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | Victoria Svensson | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1996–2009 | 86.2 |
| 302 | Amancio Amaro | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1959–1976 | 86.2 |
| 303 | Wayne Gretzky | Ice Hockey | 🇨🇦 Canada | 1979–1999 | 86.1 |
| 304 | Al Oerter | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1954–1980 | 86.1 |
| 305 | Robert Korzeniowski | Athletics | 🇵🇱 Poland | 1988–2004 | 86.1 |
| 306 | Vivianne Miedema | Football | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 2013–active | 86.1 |
| 307 | Gheorghe Hagi | Football | 🇷🇴 Romania | 1982–2001 | 86.1 |
| 308 | Emile Griffith | Boxing | 🇺🇸 United States | 1958–1977 | 86.1 |
| 309 | Shannon Boxx | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2003–2015 | 86.1 |
| 310 | Lena Goeßling | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2004–2021 | 86.1 |
| 311 | Margaret Court | Tennis | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1960–1977 | 86.0 |
| 312 | Adam Peaty | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2012–active | 86.0 |
| 313 | Roger Milla | Football | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 1970–1996 | 86.0 |
| 314 | Héctor Camacho | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1980–2010 | 86.0 |
| 315 | Giovane Élber | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1990–2006 | 86.0 |
| 316 | Rainer Bonhof | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1970–1983 | 86.0 |
| 317 | Homare Sawa | Football | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1991–2015 | 85.9 |
| 318 | Sarah Sjöström | Swimming | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2007–active | 85.9 |
| 319 | Jenny Thompson | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1991–2004 | 85.9 |
| 320 | Evelyn Ashford | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1992 | 85.9 |
| 321 | Nils Liedholm | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1946–1961 | 85.9 |
| 322 | Wilfredo Gómez | Boxing | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 1974–1989 | 85.9 |
| 323 | Steffi Jones | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1993–2007 | 85.9 |
| 324 | Almuth Schult | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 2009–2024 | 85.9 |
| 325 | Rose Lavelle | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2017–active | 85.9 |
| 326 | Sara Gama | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2006–2024 | 85.9 |
| 327 | Nadia Nadim | Football | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 2005–active | 85.9 |
| 328 | Vinícius Júnior | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2017–active | 85.9 |
| 329 | Thierry Henry | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 1994–2014 | 85.8 |
| 330 | Kevin Garnett | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1995–2016 | 85.8 |
| 331 | Giorgio Chiellini | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2000–2023 | 85.8 |
| 332 | Alex English | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1976–1991 | 85.8 |
| 333 | Artur Beterbiev | Boxing | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2013–active | 85.8 |
| 334 | Alan Hansen | Football | 🏴 Scotland | 1973–1991 | 85.8 |
| 335 | Phil Neal | Football | 🏴 England | 1968–1989 | 85.8 |
| 336 | Hope Solo | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2000–2016 | 85.8 |
| 337 | Kevin McHale | Basketball | 🇺🇸 United States | 1980–1993 | 85.8 |
| 338 | Krešimir Ćosić | Basketball | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1968–1983 | 85.8 |
| 339 | Alexis Argüello | Boxing | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 1968–1995 | 85.8 |
| 340 | Antonio Cervantes | Boxing | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 1964–1983 | 85.8 |
| 341 | Therese Sjögran | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1997–2015 | 85.8 |
| 342 | Walter Zenga | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1979–1999 | 85.8 |
| 343 | Kevin De Bruyne | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2008–active | 85.7 |
| 344 | Fernando Torres | Football | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2001–2019 | 85.7 |
| 345 | Doris Fitschen | Football | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1986–2001 | 85.7 |
| 346 | Chloe Kelly | Football | 🏴 England | 2015–active | 85.7 |
| 347 | Garfield Sobers | Cricket | 🏴 West Indies | 1953–1974 | 85.6 |
| 348 | Giampiero Boniperti | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1946–1961 | 85.6 |
| 349 | Neville Southall | Football | 🏴 Wales | 1980–2002 | 85.6 |
| 350 | Ragnhild Hveger | Swimming | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 1936–1952 | 85.6 |
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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