Who is the GOAT of Football History 2025: Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi, Pele vs Maradona

Asking who the Greatest of all Time (GOAT) is in football history sparks a debate like no other, and for good reason. Considering football history is made up of distinct eras, styles of play and various achievements, fans, analysts, and players for all accounts seem to have varied opinions. For 2025, the most notable debates continue to include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane. When it comes to determining what makes a footballer the GOAT, one must look beyond the numbers and the trophies and consider the player’s impact and what legacies they left behind. Get Betwinner bonus and find out who is the GOAT of football history 2025.

Understanding the GOAT of Football History

To offer the title of GOAT, one must understand what the title means and its surrounding implications in the sport. The title GOAT is an acronym for ‘Greatest of All Time’ and signifies a single player’s unparalleled contribution and the impact that the player left on the sport. There is a considerable space that the player occupies in the history of sport and their contribution is unparalleled.

When building an argument, collecting data is essential, not just stating an opinion. This data may include statistics, records and achievements, your personal awards, and your global influence on football.

What Defines a Football GOAT?

To hold the title GOAT (Greatest of All Time), a player must show a combination of talent, consistency, and positive influence on the game. Outstanding players must display extraordinary self-restraint and equanimity under pressure. The GOAT must provide inspirational leadership. And a GOAT is one, that not just fulfills the definition of greatness, but also transforms the game. Making it different in such a way that all future players are given an entirely different game to play.   

We cannot afford to overlook consistency. Consistent players are the ones that manage to maintain their level of play in every big match, especially in international tournaments, and club football, year after year. Individually, they are able to succeed, and in the pivotal moments of the game, they are able to generate opportunities that lead to goals.

Criteria: Titles, Playing Style, Trophies, and Legacy

Evaluating the greatest players in football history involves several factors.  

• Trophies and Titles: A player’s legacy is built upon the addition of to account for international competitions like the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League, alongside domestic league titles.  
• Playing Style: The determination of greatness is their skillset in football, vision, creativity, and tactical awareness.  
• Stamina and Reliability: The ability to keep performance standards at a peak over many years and shift dynamically with the game’s evolving strategies is exceptional.  
• Legacy and Cultural Influence: Being influential and inspirational to players of succeeding generations over the years is a unique hallmark of greatness.  

All of these factors combined allow us to recognize players worthy of the title football’s GOAT.  

Legendary Candidates for Football’s GOAT

Many players throughout the sport’s history have made great achievements and pushed boundaries. Despite many great players turning down high profile awards, the number of players consistently named in the GOAT conversation is quite small. The players most commonly cited in the debates about the greatest footballer of all time are the ones listed below.

Pele (Edson Arantes)

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, also known as Pele, was an incredible ambassador of the great game of football and one of the greatest sporting icons of all time. As captain of the Brazil national team, he won three FIFA World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970), an all-time record that still stands. To top that off, he has 1,000 official and unofficial recorded matches and goals. A remarkable feat indeed!  

Pele was an all-round footballer. He fused the requisite striking attributes of the sport with incredible game intelligence. He spent the rest of his career at Santos FC, transforming the club and his native Brazil into one of the footballing powerhouses of the world. He did more than that; he touched the lives of billions and changed the world with his passion for the game.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi truly is one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. Messi’s accomplishments speak for himself, including 10 La Liga trophies and 4 Champions League titles. Messi’s playmaking, dribbling and astounding passing have earned him numerous trophies and Ballon D’ors. He has changed the meaning of an attacker and his influence to the game has been as strong and positive as possible.

Messi has earned the right to say he has an extra world cup to his already impressive list of accolades. He has earned the right to say he has all the trophies to go with his extraordinary professionalism and absolutely brilliant career. Even to this day, he has extraordinary professionalism to the game as he takes the field for Inter Miami.

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane is an example of a player who combines both style and effectiveness. He had such exceptional control, balance, and vision of the game that he lead France as the captain to a World Cup and a Euro Championship in 1998 and 2000. He also enjoyed personal success with Juventus and Real Madrid where earned several domestic and European titles.

Most people remember Zidane for his goal in the 2002 Champions League final and for his role as on-field captain of the French team. He won two FIFA World Cups and three European championships. His coaching career also built upon his legacy. He became the first coach to win three Champions League titles in a row.

Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff was a famous player and a great innovator of the game. He played for and managed Ajax and Barcelona, and after winning quite a few trophies, he became the first player to embody the ‘Total Football’ philosophy. He also revolutionized the game and football tactics. His innovative style of play involved a great degree of interdependence and positional interchange among teammates.

He was one of the greatest players of his time. He also coached, was a football visionary, and most importantly, was the coach of FC Barcelona. The many teams that play ‘Total Football’ today are a testament to his legacy.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo showcases exceptional discipline alongside remarkable adaptability. He stands out as one of the most remarkable athletes in the world, having scored numerous goals, and performed to the highest standards. He has played and conquered four major European leagues, as well as the Saudi Pro League. Not to mention, he has taken home the Champions League trophy five times, which is the most prestigious European club trophy, and the Euro Cup with Portugal. In his late thirties, he still holds the title of the all-time top goal scorer in UEFA competitions, and his extraordinary stamina, strategic leadership, and tireless dedication to the sport is the explanation for why he still ranks among the best.

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona and all of his capabilities will never go amiss. Known all over the globe for the legendary performances and for the title of ‘God of football’, nothing is more impressive than the ‘Goal of the Century’ and ‘Hand of God’. Winning the 1986 World Cup with the Argentina football team, Maradona football created a passionate historical moment.

He will eternally own the title of ‘God of football’ and his legacy will always be for the people, and for the ‘most exquisite dribbler of all time, genius playmaker, and the most creative player’ the accolades will never end.

Comparing the GOATs of Football History

Comparing great football players from various eras is complicated. The game itself has gone through changes in style of play over the years. And while fans of the sport throw around the term ‘greatness’ for players in the sport, there are measurable factors that stem from the game being played. For example, trophies, records, or the quality of play in relation to the game itself, are great indicators of ‘greatness’ in football.

Pele vs Maradona: Historical Impact

The influence each demonstrated on the game was at times completely contradictory. Both players had an influence on the game in their own way. One player was all about improvisation whereas the other focused on the complete game. Pele was all about collective success. He was the captain of the golden generation of Brazilian footballers. To the world, especially to the Brazilian people, Brazil was the beloved football nation during the Copa. In contrast, Maradona was and still is football´s sublime improvisational genius, single-handedly carrying Argentina and creating magic in the dying moments of the game.

Both players defined their eras emotionally, while breaking records and influencing countless players in the process. Maradona´s emotional and cultural influence was still the greatest of the two, and it surpassed Pele.

Messi vs Ronaldo: Statistics and Achievements

How can you speak about world football and not mention Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? Ronaldo and Messi are the soccer “duo” and their names are always mentioned together. They have surpassed the 800-goal mark and like the other have won countless club and national titles. Each of these trophies came during a back-and-forth rivalry that has defined the past decade.

Messi continues to showcase under pressure his goalkeeping talents throughout the years. The finals win against France in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualified Messi for the most “talented player of the year” award. Without a doubt, the accolades and pressure in the final for the Argentina team ranks as Messi’s best moment in his career. Every player and coach in football aspires to have the game winning attributes of Messi’s vision, playmaking, assists and close control. As for modern football, Ronaldo’s reputation for fitness and style of play, alongside his ability to adjust to various footballing cultures and competitions, makes him a true role model for the football fans. The Portuguese forward scored as a striker and a winger, in every possible competition available, for the national side. He has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus and now Al-Nassr and has consistently scored in every league. This is the true meaning of one of the GOAT’s.

Ronaldo has yet to reach the same heights as Messi, who earned his eighth trophy, the World Cup. However, Ronaldo is not far behind Messi in trophies. He may not have a World Cup, but he has an Euro Cup, a UEFA Nations League, and a trophy case filled with equally important international accolades, so he has important international trophies.

No one has ever had a larger reach in the game than Ronaldo or Messi. In the history of football, no one else has come close to the scoring and achievements of these two in a single year. Each year, they set the greatest benchmarks, breaking the most records. They are the gold standard every player aspires to.

Overall Influence on Football and Global Culture

Pele and Maradona sparked the creative passion in football, while Messi and Ronaldo professionalized the game. Cruyff changed the game and the coaching. Zidane showed true elegance on the pitch, and off the pitch, he showed brilliance as well.

His accomplishments make him the GOAT of the game. Winning the World Cup intertwined his legacy with the game of football, securing his place in history for all time.

Final Thoughts

The GOAT debate in football will most likely always be an unresolvable conversation. The game is always evolving, and with that comes new legends.

But looking at unprecedented records, unbroken consistency, and a game-changing influence, there is no doubt that Messi is the GOAT, with no other competitors in the history of sports. Football has an abundance of unique and remarkable greatness, also offered by Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo, Cruyff, and Zidane, and each of those legacies must be celebrating to recognize the evolution of the sport. They, each and every one, are vital to the history of football.

FAQ

Who has the most trophies?

Messi has the most trophies in the history of football. As of 2025, Messi has over 40 recognized trophies in football, making him the most decorated footballer.

Can new players become the next GOAT?

Absolutely. Players like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland could change the game for the better. For a newer player to become a GOAT, they will need a lot of unwavering success and consistency at the club and international levels for many years to come, though.

Who had the greatest playing style?

It depends on the individual. Maradona had his artistic style, Cruyff his intelligent and tactical mastery, Messi the technical precision, and Zidane his calm and refined demeanor. Each of them, in their own special way, has epitomized greatness.