Have you ever got into a debate about the GOAT? It’s a popular acronym for the “Greatest of All Time.” The term has sparked millions of conversations about the best athletes in major sports. The debate about GOATS goes on and on, though a few undisputable greats deserve all the acclaim they get.
1. Hockey: Wayne Gretzky
This is the one sport where few contributors could argue against one athlete. He retired with at least 61 NHL records, many of which he still holds.
2. NFL: Tom Brady
Rival fans united to declare Tom Brady as the GOAT of the NFL. The famous quarterback proved his status as a great by leaving New England and guiding Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl.
3. Cricket: Don Bradman
Another sportsman who united the community, Don Bradman, fell four runs short of landing a perfect average of 100 in test cricket. 75 years later, he remains way clear of the chasing pack.
4. Golf: Tiger Woods
Tiger was undoubtedly the best golfer of the 2000s, but is he the greatest of all time? He holds 15 Majors, but unscheduled spells away from the course affected his title-winning ability, and time is running out if he is going to overhaul Jack Nicklaus’ tally of 18.
5. MotoGP: Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi earns a lot of support for his GOAT status, but this is a debatable selection. Giacomo Agostini claimed eight top-class world championships, while Rossi has won seven. Maybe sportsmanship has something to do with Rossi’s status.
6. Greco-Roman Wrestling: Aleksandr Karelin
Aleksandr Karelin dominated Greco-Roman wrestling. He went six years without losing a point, so arguing against his inclusion is hard.
7. Soccer: Lionel Messi
A long-running debate focused on Lionel Messi and his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Which player is the GOAT of soccer? Messi’s World Cup success with Argentina in 2022 seems to have put that discussion to bed. Messi is the best footballer in the world.
8. Competitive Eating: Joey Chestnut
World-ranked number one Joey Chestnut once ate 76 hot dogs (with buns) in one sitting. Yes, you read that correctly. I can’t even fathom such a feat.
9. Tennis: Serena Williams
While Serena is the dominant tennis player of the modern era, Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova, and Billie-Jean King have more career wins. Time will tell if any of these talented ladies eclipse Williams.
10. Snooker: Ronnie O’Sullivan
Rocket Ronnie has seven world titles, a record matched by Stephen Hendry. Others would claim that Steve Davis is equally talented. Again, natural talent, sportsmanship, and improvement over time all cement O’Sullivan’s GOAT status.
11. Billiards: Walter Lindrum
Staying with cue sports, there is little argument against this choice. Lindrum broke 57 billiards records, and they had to change the rules and create a score limit to curb his success.
12. Handball: Ivano Balic
Multiple MVP Ivano Balic is essentially the undisputed handball GOAT. A close second would be Diego Maradona.
13. Gymnastics: Simone Biles
An undoubtedly incredible athlete, Simone Biles is the unchallenged queen of gymnastics. However, if they were competing in the same era, Nadia Comaneci could have given Biles some tough competition.
14. Surfing: Kelly Slater
A dominant force on the board, Kelly Slater is seen by many as the undisputed king of surfing. Commentators quite literally call him the GOAT when discussing meets.