The name could sound a little confusing to you if you are unfamiliar with sports, but rest assured that it does not refer to a farm animal.
People who utilize social media may have heard the word “GOAT” about the world’s greatest sports stars.
Some individuals dubbed the GOAT are LeBron James, Tom Brady, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer, and Usain Bolt.
Similar lists of elite athletes frequently include players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
- What does GOAT mean?
The acronym GOAT (or GOAT) stands for “best of all time.” It is a designation saved for the person who is thought to be an undeniable expert in their field.
In addition to having tremendous talent, a person must consistently achieve at a high level to be regarded as the GOAT.
Although the phrase has been around for a while, Muhammad Ali, a heavyweight boxing champion who dubbed himself “the best” after defeating Sonny Liston in 1964, gave it modern currency.
Ali adopted it as a nickname throughout his career, and he memorably used it again after surprising everyone by knocking out George Foreman in 1974.
The GOAT, as the name implies, is regarded as superior to not only all of their contemporaries but also all of their forebears.
- Who is the GOAT in football?
The topic of the greatest football player has been hotly contested, but in recent years, Messi or Ronaldo have emerged as the clear front-runners.
There is no concrete way to determine who is the greatest player of all time because of the nature of the game, yet this fact has yet to stop the debates.
The Ballon d’Or, awarded to the player regarded as the finest in the world, has been won by Ronaldo and Messi a combined five times, more than any other player.
As for the European Golden Shoe, Messi has won it five times compared to Ronaldo’s four, and they both have four Champions League championship rings.
The criteria used to determine who the GOAT is can vary, but some have put Ronaldo ahead of the Argentine because of his prowess in many different nations.
Additionally, Messi has yet to accomplish this achievement at the senior level with Argentina, while the Portugal captain has gained significant accolades with his nation (winning the European Championship in 2016).
Given that they were competing against each other in El Clasico, the fact that Messi represented Barcelona and Ronaldo represented Real Madrid deepened the hatred and fueled the discussion.
Both players encouraged one another and accepted the moniker “GOAT,” with Ronaldo briefly sporting a goatee at the 2018 World Cup while Messi awkwardly posed with a live goat in a PAPER Magazine issue.
Following Ronaldo’s transfer to Juventus, the Barcelona captain said to Marca, “The rivalry with Cristiano was healthy and fantastic for the fans.”
- Other GOATs in football history
Even if Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for the past ten years, many other legendary players still hold the label of GOAT.
One such player is Messi’s countryman Diego Maradona, an Argentina World Cup champion in 1986 who shone at Barcelona and Napoli. Interestingly, Maradona views Messi as his heir and has crowned the Rosario native as the best.
Another person widely regarded as the best player of all time is the legendary Johan Cruyff, who played for Barcelona and the Netherlands. Throughout his career, he won three Ballons d’Or and was the driving force behind Ajax’s three European Cup victories in the early 1970s. Cruyff’s effect can still be seen in Barcelona today, where Catalan supporters refer to the Dutchman as El Salvador or The Saviour.
Pele, Ronaldo (O Fenomeno), Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini, and Franz Beckenbauer are among more players who have been named among the finest. Andres Iniesta, Luka Modric, Xavi, and Ronaldinho are some more recent contenders.
- Future football GOATs
A hole will open up when Messi and Ronaldo ultimately hang up their boots, and a few talents are already being hailed as their replacements.
Neymar, a standout for Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain, has long been hailed as the GOAT’s inevitable heir, but recent seasons have seen injuries and poor play dim his reputation.
In 2018, KylianMbappe, a PSG teammate of Neymar’s and a World Cup champion, solidified his position as one of the best young players in the world. However, he must continue to play to his high standards if he wants to be dubbed the GOAT.
Eden Hazard of Chelsea, Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, and Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid have all risen to the level of Ronaldo and Messi. Still, they will all need to improve their performances to catch up with them.
There is a chance that someone will surpass Messi and Ronaldo even though the stars mentioned above have already been identified. That would be extremely difficult and may appear incredibly improbable at this moment.
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