The world of soccer will undoubtedly continue to witness remarkable performances. It will be exciting to see how the next generation of players continues to evolve. Amidst the matches and accolades, the title of soccer’s GOAT remains elusive, but the conversation will remain vibrant for years. Who is the GOAT of soccer? The choice of the greatest of all time (GOAT) in soccer is subjective and thus narrows down to personal preference. However, when discussions about the current GOAT of football begin, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two most commonly mentioned players, and here’s why:
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is often considered the GOAT by many football fans. He started his soccer career at FC Barcelona, where he spent most of his career and established himself as one of the best players. Messi’s versatility, vision, playmaking abilities, and goal-scoring prowess have made him a force to reckon with. Some of the recent career highlights and accolades that have made him stand out include: Recent career highlights In 2023, the football player made a historic move to Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS). The transition marked a significant change in his career, as he intended to positively influence soccer outside of Europe. His arrival in the United States was highly welcomed even without a match, significantly raising the MLS profile. Immediately after joining the team, Lionel became a key player, helping the team earn significant titles. For instance, in 2024, he led Argentina to another international victory by winning the Copa América.
Accolades
Lionel Messi poses on the red carpet before the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony. Photo: Julien De Rosa Source: Getty Images Lionel has consistently performed well over the years, winning some of the most coveted titles as an individual and for his team. Some of them include: Eight Ballon d’Or awards Eight times world’s best player by FIFA Twelve Big Five league titles Four UEFA Champions Leagues Two Copa Américas One FIFA World Cup Most goals for a single club (672, with Barcelona) Most international appearances (191) Most international goals (112) by a South American male Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo began his football career at Sporting CP in Portugal, and his career has been nothing short of legendary. He rose to prominence in 2003 when he joined the Manchester United football team. He also had successful tenures at Real Madrid and Juventus. In 2023, he significantly changed his career when he moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. As one of the greatest players of all time, Cristiano brought his unrivalled skills to the Saudi Pro League. His recent career highlights and accolades include:
Recent career highlights While he has done well throughout his career, Ronaldo continued to defy the odds during the 2023/2024 season. He played a significant role in Portugal’s victory at the UEFA European Championship. On September 5 2024, he scored his 900th career goal. Away from the stats, Cristiano’s leadership on the field is a testament to his status as one of the greatest of all time. Cristiano continues to be a key player in his current football team, dominating matches in Saudi Arabia while offering great experience to the younger players. Accolades Cristiano Ronaldo poses for photos on the red carpet during the Kick-Off 2019/2020 – UEFA Champions League Draw. Throughout his career, Ronaldo’s relentless work ethic, athleticism, and goal-scoring ability have set the standard for modern-day soccer players. As a result, he has bagged many awards and coveted titles, including: Five Ballon d’Or awards A record three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Awards Four European Golden Shoes Five times the world’s best player by FIFA Seven league titles Five UEFA Champions Leagues The UEFA European Championship
The UEFA Nations League Most appearances (183), goals (140) and assists (42) in the Champions League. Over 1,200 professional career appearances While the debate about the real GOAT of football has always revolved around Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, several younger football players are starting to stake their claims to the title. They include: Kylian Mbappe Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring a goal during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and UD Las Palmas. Kylian is a French forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and the captain of France’s national team. He is known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed. Some of the titles he has earned so far include: Six Ligue 1 titles Four Coupes de France titles His club’s all-time top goalscorer Seventh-highest goalscorer in Ligue 1 history. Erling Haaland Erling Haaland reacts during the Premier League match between Ipswich Town and Manchester City FC.
Erling is a Norwegian striker for Premier League club Manchester City and the Norway national team. He is one of the best players in the world and with the potential to become a GOAT of soccer. Thanks to his speed, positioning, strength, and finishing inside the box, he has earned the following: The 2020 Golden Boy Award 2021 Bundesliga Player of the Season Most goals scored in a season The quickest individual to score two, three, four and five hat-tricks The first individual in league history to score hat-tricks in three consecutive home games 2023 Premier League Golden Boot winner The European Golden Shoe
The Gerd Müller Trophy UEFA Men’s Player of the Year IFFHS World’s Best Player Runner-up in the Ballon d’Or Jude Bellingham Jude Bellingham is awarded the best La Liga player of December before the match between Real Madrid CF and UD Las Palmas. Photo: Denis Doyle Source: Getty Images Jude is an English midfielder for the La Liga club Real Madrid and the England national team. He is known for his pace, passing, dribbling, and finishing. His potential to become the GOAT stems from the following accolades and titles: Bundesliga Player of the Season award during the 2022–23 season Real Madrid’s top league scorer 2024 La Liga Player of the Season 3rd both for the Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best Best playmaker by IFFHS in 2024 Best Midfielder award at Globe Soccer Awards in 2024
by Venic Nyanchama
