IFFHS names Messi football’s GOAT as Ronaldo misses top three
Pelé and Maradona complete the top three
Lionel Messi has been officially named the greatest footballer of all time by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), finishing ahead of fellow legends Pelé and Diego Maradona. The announcement, made on 19 May 2025, has stirred renewed debate over football's most celebrated names.
Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, topped the IFFHS ranking thanks to a career laden with honours. His record includes eight Ballon d'Or titles, a FIFA World Cup triumph in 2022, four UEFA Champions League trophies, and a staggering array of club and international records. The Argentine's creativity, consistency, and footballing intelligence have long set him apart.
Brazilian icon Pelé, widely credited with popularising football around the world, took second place. A three-time World Cup winner (1958, 1962, 1970), Pelé's goal-scoring feats and longevity helped define an era of dominance for both club and country.
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Third in the rankings is Diego Maradona, the mercurial Argentine who led his nation to World Cup glory in 1986. Maradona is also revered in Naples, where he guided Napoli to two Serie A titles, transforming the club's status in Italian football. His dribbling prowess, fierce competitiveness, and ability to dominate big matches have cemented his place among the greats.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who has long stood as Messi's primary rival in the GOAT debate, was placed fourth by IFFHS. The Portuguese forward boasts five Ballon d'Or wins, over 900 career goals, and a trophy cabinet featuring five Champions League titles and a European Championship win with Portugal in 2016.
Ronaldo is also the all-time top scorer in both the Champions League (140 goals) and international football (136 goals), making his exclusion from the top three a topic of intense discussion.
The fifth spot went to Johan Cruyff, the Dutch pioneer who revolutionised the game with 'Total Football.' Brazil's Ronaldo Nazário ranks sixth, followed by Zinedine Zidane in seventh. German legend Franz Beckenbauer, the only defender on the list, was placed eighth.
The list concludes with Alfredo Di Stéfano in ninth and Ronaldinho in tenth, rounding off a selection heavy on attacking brilliance.
The absence of goalkeepers and the inclusion of only one defender have raised eyebrows. Fans of Paolo Maldini, Lev Yashin, and other defensive greats have questioned the criteria, as have admirers of attacking legends such as Ferenc Puskás, Gerd Müller, and Michel Platini — all of whom failed to make the cut despite their vast contributions to the sport.
