Who Is the GOAT of Football? List of the Greatest of All Time

Football is not just a game. It is like a dream motivated by passion, emotion, and the unwavering love of fans who don’t shy away from giving their opinions on their favourite players or teams. The presence of many great players has graced the game, and every time their supporters come together for an argument about greatness and impact, the most important question that is thrown on the turf is — “Who is the GOAT (Greatest of all-time) of football?”

From the rise of football in the UK to its gracious journey across the world, it has seen players like Pele, Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who have not only left a lasting impact on the game, but have also won the hearts of millions, creating a whole new dilemma for the fans to decide who can be considered the real goat of football. The fiercest battle that has been raging through the heart of the fanboys for almost two decades is to decide who is the greatest footballer of all time between Ronaldo and Messi.

The world has truly never witnessed such brutal yet dominant rivalry of players in a millennium. Choosing any particular player in the debate of “who is the GOAT of football” is like finding a needle in a haystack, as there are so many legendary players out there who have dazzled like stars with their legacy and achievements and have made it a difficult task to find a numerical order in this debate.

What Makes a Player a GOAT in Football

In the century-old debate of “who is the goat of football”, personal preferences have always played a major role in finding the GOAT, at least for every different fan base. But, above personal preferences, several key factors like longevity, goals, assists, major trophy counts, individual achievements, and influence come into effect to determine the goat of football. We have not ranked the goats of football out of respect, as each one of them has contributed a lot to make football the most beautiful game on earth.

Consistency & Longevity: Playing at the highest level for a long time with consistency is a great deal. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have shared the stage for a long time and have achieved a lot while competing with each other.

Goal & Assist contribution: This is a big parameter in choosing who is the goat of football. Many players have won many titles, but have failed to offer in-goal and assist contributions. Ronaldo, Messi, Pele, or Maradona, all these players have been crucial for their teams’ victories, thanks to their goals or assists. At the same time, defenders also contributed towards goals and assists on top of their breathtaking tackles, aerial duels, and sliding tackles.

Number of trophies: Trophy count has played a crucial role in our search for the goat of football. A player’s trophy cabinet can lead us to their success. Most of the greatest players have won plenty of titles in their careers.

Legacy: With success comes legacy. If a player has created a legacy of his own, then he will leave a lasting impact on football for generations to come. Most of the players who have been considered the goats of football have influenced millions of fans and players.

Top Contenders for the GOAT of Football

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, a phoenix bird in the reality of the game. Every time fans wage verbal war against each other to determine who is the goat of football, the name of the Portuguese great will appear in everyone’s mind for the legacy Ronaldo has built to inspire the generations of young players and fans.

From emerging through the ranks of Sporting CP to playing for the greatest clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, the record goal scorer of the game (935 goals) has etched his name in the book of goat of football. UEFA Champions League, La Liga, English Premier League, UEFA Euro Championship you name it, Ronaldo has won them all except the FIFA World Cup which has been elusive in the decorated career of the Portuguese.

Apps	1270
Goals	935
Assists	257
Major titles	La Liga, Premier League, UEFA Euro, Champions League

Lionel Messi

Another goat of football who needs no introduction and has taken the world for a spin for over a decade is Lionel Messi. He is probably the most complete footballer the game has ever embraced. Messi’s career began at Barcelona and saw him win every major trophy in club football. Many questioned his impact on the Argentina national football team’s journey in international football as the country failed to make a mark at the global stage post Maradona’s era.

However, all hell broke loose when Messi led La Albiceleste from the front to three major international title glories in three years by lifting the FIFA World Cup 2022 and two Copa America titles. His left foot, style of play, dribbling, and free-kicks will remain immortal in the arena of football. Messi remains the only player to have won eight Ballon d’Ors in football.

Apps	1270
Goals	858
Assists	382
Major titles	La Liga, FIFA World Cup, Copa America, Champions League

Also Read: Who Is the King of Football? A List of True Legends

Johan Cruyff

Talk about creativity and revolution in football, there is Johan Cruyff, an institution in himself. The Dutch phenomena changed the way of football with his tactics, vision and playing style when he served at Barcelona as a player and a coach. Cruyff earned the goat of football tag when he was at Ajax, thanks to his unbelievable passing range and creativity, leading him to be labelled as the greatest dribbler in the world. 

Cruyff’s legacy is not only limited to his scoring and dribbling skills as it goes beyond that. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner made football look very easy that inspired a whole generation of players to idolise him and his vision. 

Apps	566
Goals	328
Assists	264
Major titles	La Liga, Eredivise, European Cup

Franz Beckenbauer

The Kaiser Moniker of football! Franz Beckenbauer was a name that probably didn’t win the heart of football fans who loved to see skills, fine passing, and stylish goals. What made the great Bayern Munich star one of the goats of football, who once led West Germany to two important major international trophies – the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 FIFA World Cup, was his aggressive mentality that entirely justified his nickname “Kaiser”. 

Beckenbauer was the epitome of adaptability. Managers after managers, everyone threw him in the pit with different formations, forcing him to play either as a striker or a winger, or a second striker. In every position, he thrived and made the Bavarians a dominant force outside Germany. Controversies, drama, news reports, and behaviour played their roles in stopping the big German, but couldn’t stop him from becoming one of the major factors for Bayern to win three consecutive Bundesliga titles and as many European Cups in that period.

Apps	668
Goals	102
Assists	63
Major titles	Bundesliga, European Cup, FIFA World Cup,UEFA Euro, North American Soccer League

Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini, a quintessential figure of AC Milan history, is our next pick in the debate of who is the goat of football. Talk about loyalty, consistency, and longevity, the versatile Italian defender lived by those codes. Very few could demonstrate the Italian style of football the way Maldini did during his 25-year-long football career at AC Milan.

Strength and agility were his forte and he never ran away from a duel on the pitch. Serie A, Coppa Italia, UEFA Champions League, and FIFA Club World Cup – a few of the major trophies Maldini conquered in an illustrated career that made him one of the greatest football players in the history of Italy. The only grief in his career, as explained by him on numerous occasions, will always be not winning the 1994 World Cup final. 

Apps	901
Average tackle	19
Tackle ratio/ game	0.5
Major titles	Serie A, FIFA Club World Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup

Pele

Is it possible to single out one single goat of football when the name of Pele emerges? How can a person define the greatness of themselves? A boy scored a hat-trick in the semifinal of a FIFA World Cup and netted a brace in the final to win the global tournament for his nation, and he did it all at a tender age of 17. Isn’t it crazy enough? Three FIFA World Cups belong to that boy, and his name was Pele, who could stop a war between countries so that people from both sides could enjoy him playing, such an aura he had. 

Speed, athleticism, and a hunger for goals made Pele a goal machine, and he became the highest goal scorer in the history of football with over 1000 goals, if friendly games are taken into account. In 1977, Pele bid adieu to the world of football and retired like a king. Many are of the view that several rules, including the card system, were introduced to football due to the constant fatal tackles made on him. It’s safe to say Pele is football and a true goat of the game.

Apps	1363
Goals	1281
Assists	369
Major titles	FIFA World Cup, Brasileiro Série A, Copa Libertadores, Roca Cup

Also Read: Ranking the 10 Biggest Football Clubs in the World

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona, a player who was created by God himself with care and tenderness. If you want trophies and goals, then you can go for Pele, Ronaldo, or Messi, but for magic and artistic styles, there is only one Maradona. He was a player who scored two most iconic goals in the history of Argentina in the 1986 World Cup – the goal of the century and the “Hand of God” goal, both against England in Mexico. An entire nation bowed down to the prince of football, who is also worshipped as a god in the city of Naples.

Maradona enthralled a whole generation with his silky touches and dribbling. Barcelona, Napoli, and Boca Juniors were his playing grounds where he emerged to be the goat of football at a young age. Briefly put, Maradona was so much more than achievements; he was and will remain an emotion to millions.

Apps	437
Goals	193
Assists	123
Major titles	FIFA World Cup, Serie A, UEFA Cup

Zinedine Zidane

There is a common saying in football that talent flourishes with time and that time doesn’t come everyday. Zinedine Zidane was exactly that kind of player whose talent and playing style had come at the expense of steel. His aura, style, creative flairs combined with a plethora of success, grace and uncanny ability to rise to the occasion took him to a whole new level where everything seemed so easy and simple for his team’s. 

His iconic goal in the final that helped Real Madrid win the 2002 UEFA Champions League reminds everyone how an attacker or a midfielder whose basic function is to provide should be decisive when it matters most. Defying the rule of consistency, Zidane was a wandering soul who could do anything he wanted with the ball, as if you were watching a craftsman turning art into life. Let’s not forget, in the debate of “who is the goat of football”, Zidane’s two world-class goals in the 1998 World Cup final that made France the global champions for the first time.

Apps	797
Goals	156
Assists	170
Major titles	Champions League, World Cup, UEFA Euro, La Liga

Thierry Henry

It was a hot afternoon in England in 2005, and Thierry Henry, wearing the red-and-white shirt of Arsenal, was toying with the defenders in a Premier League match. Commentators were heard saying: “He (Henry) is the best player ever when he has the ball at his feet. He can make you dance as he goes.” Longevity, goals, trophies, and legacy, Henry had everything at his disposal when he was pulling strings for Arsene Wenger’s famous “Invincibles”. 

Forget about trophies, honours, goals, or assists. If you want to watch art, magic, and flawlessness, watch Henry with the ball. The Shakespeare of football, the French star scored over 300 goals in his club career, having won everything on his way, and became one of the best Premier League strikers of all time. If you want to include a player in your argument of who is the goat of football, then Henry is your man, who can take you to the stars with his magic and clinical touches.

Apps	917
Goals	411
Assists	196
Major titles	FIFA World Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup

Ronaldo Nazario

Another Ronaldo, the real Ronaldo, according to many, now sits with the goats of football as his legacy and impact are secure with us. The bald-headed Brazilian monster was a cruiser in the front, and it was no surprise to see him win the FIFA World Cup player of the year award at the age of 20. Imagine you are leading the attack of Brazil with other legends like Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, or Cafu, and going on to win two Ballon d’Ors and becoming the greatest scorer in the history of the World Cup in 2006. Does it make sense? Well, it all happens when a Brazilian is with the ball and in front of the goal. 

The celebrated striker was one of the few players who plied his trade with both Real Madrid and Barcelona. The prized jewel of the Catalans, having won the European Super Cup, La Liga, and other titles, joined Real Madrid in 2002. A goat of football always gives something to his nation, and Ronaldo Nazario gave the best gift to Brazil by lifting the 2002 World Cup and winning the Golden Boot.

Apps	617
Goals	414
Assists	95
Major titles	FIFA World Cup,UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Cup, La Liga, Copa America

Also Read: Ranking the 10 Best Defensive Midfielders | 2025

Emerging Players That Can Be Considered as GOAT

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is currently playing for Real Madrid after enjoying a successful spell at Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He has already won a FIFA World Cup trophy in 2018 and almost single-handedly took France to the final of the 2022 global tournament. With over 360 goals and 160 assists, Mbappe is going strong to be considered one of the goats of football in a few years.

Erling Haaland

Another potential goat football player is Erling Haaland. The Norwegian goal machine is an incredible scorer like Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele, and has the ability to score over 700 goals before retirement. At the age of 24, he has already scored 255 goals across all competitions in club football, having won five major trophies and one FIFA Best award. There is no doubt that he will be one of the best players in history.

Lamine Yamal

Another superstar in the making is Lamine Yamal. The young prodigy of Barcelona is wreaking havoc in both domestic and continental football competitions. From La Liga to Champions League, the 17-year-old youngster Yamal has been a nightmare to defenders and is one of the contenders to win the Ballon d’Or award this season.

Jude Bellingham

The 22-year-old English midfielder is probably the most sought-after playmaker in the world currently. He is the beating heart of Real Madrid’s midfield. In his debut season in La Liga, he won the player of the year award, highlighting his influence in the game at a very young age. Goals, assists, and trophies are where Bellingham belongs. He is a top contender to become one of the goats of football in the coming few years.

Jamal Musiala

The most exciting youngster of Bayern Munich, Jamal Musiala, has already announced his arrival in style after delivering some eye-catching and audacious displays in important matches. The German attacker is one of the most versatile young players who can play anywhere at the front. At the age of 22, he has won six major titles and has tons of goals and assists. The former Chelsea academy graduate is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest of all time in football.

List of Potential GOAT Football Players

Player Name	Current Club	Nationality
Kylian Mbappe	Real Madrid	France
Erling Haaland	Manchester City	Norway
Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	Spain
Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid	England
Jamal Musiala	Bayern Munich	Germany

Also Read: Ranking the 10 Best Wingers in the World | 2025

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