Football GOAT Ranking
Who is the GOAT of football? This is a live fan-vote ranking. As of April 20, 2026, Lionel Messi is #1 with 9,970 votes (50,569 total fan votes).
Top contenders: Lionel Messi • Luka Modric • Victor Osimhen
How Rankings Work
Leaderboards rank athletes by net GOAT score (upvotes minus downvotes). Weekly archives capture fixed snapshots, while live pages update in real time as votes are submitted.
Global Player Search
Search the full Football list by player name, achievements, or birthplace.

Victor
Osimhen
First Nigerian to win Serie A Golden Boot; top scorer in Napoli's Scudetto-winning season

Wayne
Rooney
Pulling on your country's shirt is the greatest honour a footballer can have.

Zinedine
Zidane
I once cried because I had no shoes to play soccer, but one day, I met a man who had no feet.

Cristiano
Ronaldo
Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.

Antony
I was born in hell. That’s not a joke. For my European friends who don’t know, the favela where I grew up in São Paulo is actually called In...

Diego
Maradona
If I die, I want to be born again and I want to be a footballer. And I want to be Diego Armando Maradona again.

Thierry
Henry
I always think about what I missed, and I think that was my driving force - never be satisfied with what I've done.

Francesco
Totti
I cheated on all my girlfriends, but I never cheated on Roma.

Thomas
Müller
Goals aren't my fuel. They're more like the paint. The special paint for the car that looks good on the outside.

Pelé
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning...

Harry
Kane
When times are down, keep believing, keep working hard, and things will pick up.

Paolo
Maldini
If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.

George
Best
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.

Johan
Cruyff
Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.

Andrés
Iniesta
If you win without sacrifice, you enjoy it but it's more satisfying when you have struggled.

Peter
Crouch
Had I not become a footballer, I think I would have been a virgin.

Matthias
Sindelar
Widely regarded as one of the greatest Austrian players of all time
Ranking Methodology
Rankings are based on net GOAT score: every upvote adds points and every downvote subtracts points. Profiles also show total ballots (upvotes + downvotes) so support volume is visible.
Weekly archive snapshots store the leaderboard state at a specific date so each week has a fixed, referenceable ranking page.
Boosts increase visibility and activity but the ranking score shown on profile and sport pages follows the same vote model. Automated abuse checks, rate limits, and CAPTCHA controls are used to protect integrity.
FAQ
Who is considered the GOAT of Football right now?
As of April 20, 2026, Lionel Messi is #1 in the live Football fan-vote ranking. Current leaders: 1. Lionel Messi 2. Luka Modric 3. Victor Osimhen.
Does this include Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, and Maradona?
Yes. The football ranking includes those legends and many other all-time greats, all ranked by live fan voting.
Is this an official Football ranking?
No. Vote The Goat is a fan-vote ranking for football. It reflects community voting, not an official federation or league decision.
How are the Football GOAT rankings calculated?
Football rankings are based on live fan votes. Votes update leaderboard positions in real time as they are submitted.
Can I vote for multiple Football players?
Yes. You can vote across multiple football legends, and each vote impacts the live ranking position.
How often are Football rankings updated?
Football rankings update continuously as new votes come in.
Where can I see older Football rankings?
Use the archive pages to browse past weekly snapshots and compare how football rankings changed over time.

































forumCommunity Discussion
CR7 the GOAT
The white Pele, remember the name… Wayne Rooney!
messi on top
CR7 the goat