Yes, many football experts, organizations (like IFFHS), and fans widely consider Lionel Messi the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) now, especially after winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022, which many saw as the final piece in his legendary career, cementing his status above rivals like Cristiano Ronaldo and securing his legacy, although the debate with past legends like Maradona and Pelé continues for some.
After winning everything there is to win in soccer – arguably for the final time – Messi was celebrated as the world's best player. However, his legacy goes far beyond this title. Now, without a shadow of a doubt, he is history's greatest player.
The "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) in football is a subjective debate, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are overwhelmingly considered the top contenders, with Messi often edging out due with recent major wins like the 2022 World Cup, though Ronaldo's longevity and dominance in multiple leagues also make a strong case, with many legends and publications naming Messi as #1. Other historical greats like Pelé and Maradona are also part of the conversation.
Leo Messi is the only player in MLS history to receive a 10 out of 10 rating. He is also the only player in UEFA Champions League history to receive this rating! 🤯🔥 He will be 38 years old in this month & still his performance as special as ever. Age is just a NUMBER for Leo Messi.
🗣️ "In fact, we contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris." "We presented him with an offer of 💲1.5 million euros, but the player rejected it because his family wanted to live in Miami." 🗣️ "It's surprising that a player could decline an offer for the sake of his family." He managed to convince his family, ...
No, Barcelona has officially settled its deferred salary debt to Lionel Messi and other 2020 squad members as of June 2025, making the final €16 million payment and closing out the original €121.7 million owed from pandemic-era salary cuts, though he'd been receiving payments for years prior. Messi received the largest share of the deferred wages, with his final installment around €5.96 million, marking the end of a long financial obligation that began with his contract restructuring.
Nowadays when people talks about how good Luis Suarez used to be in his prime, it's ALWAYS mentioned the fact he managed to outscore Messi and Ronaldo in 2015-16 season. And fair enough, it was a massively impressive accomplishment.
Yes, 99-rated players exist in FIFA (now EA Sports FC) but are very rare, typically appearing as special promotional cards (like Team of the Year or Futties) in Ultimate Team (UT) towards the end of the game cycle, with some fans even getting full squads of them through grinding. While base cards rarely reach this, special versions of players like Mbappe, Pele, and even defenders like Virgil van Dijk have achieved 99 overall ratings in past editions.
The debate over who is better, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, is ongoing, with Messi often favored by stats for overall impact, playmaking, and recent World Cup win, while Ronaldo leads in sheer volume of official goals and Champions League titles, showcasing different elite styles—Messi with unmatched dribbling and vision, Ronaldo with physical dominance and goalscoring prowess. Both are considered among the greatest ever, with Messi holding more Ballon d'Or awards and overall trophies, while Ronaldo boasts more goals and Champions League victories across different leagues.
A video capturing the moment Messi walked past IShowSpeed, interacting with others but not acknowledging him, has gone viral. Fans are criticizing IShowSpeed, pointing to his well-known support for Cristiano Ronaldo as a possible reason for Messi's perceived snub.
Messi will score 900th goal in 2026. Can he reach 1,000? Can he pass Ronaldo? Lionel Messi is never far from breaking his next record or hitting his next landmark, and he enters 2026 on the verge of yet another massive milestone in his incredible career: his 900th goal.
In football (soccer), the 🐐 emoji stands for the "Greatest Of All Time," a term used to praise legendary players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, among others, for their unparalleled skill and impact on the sport, sparking ongoing debates about who truly deserves the title.
15 Best Dribblers in World Soccer—Ranked
While Lionel Messi hasn't made extensive public declarations specifically about LGBTQ+ rights, his actions and associations, like supporting inclusivity through his foundation and playing in leagues with anti-discrimination policies, suggest a general alignment with inclusive values, though some social media rumors about him refusing pro-LGBTQ+ ads are likely exaggerated or false, as he focuses on football, not being a symbol, according to a Facebook post.
I don't care about being the best. I prefer my team to be the best team in the world rather than me being the best player in the world, but the fans decide in the end."
As long as he stays healthy and the team does well, he can get there. So let's say he reaches 900 goals by the end of this year. If the sources are true, Messi can play for another 3 more years. For him to reach 1,000 career goals, he'll have to average 33.3333 goals per year to reach that milestone.
GOATs in the history of football⚽ 1:🔥Cristiano Ronaldo🇵🇹( The goat and the greatest UCL player among all🐐) 2:🔥Pele🇧🇷(greatest world cup player🐐) 3:🔥Maradona🇦🇷(greatest Argentinian player🐐) 4:🔥Leo Messi🇦🇷(Carried by his fans🐖)
Google has given its verdict on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate, who is the better player? According to Bard, Messi is the slightly better player due to several attributes that he mentioned in detail.
The 1999 Ballon d'Or, given to the best football player in Europe as judged by a panel of sports journalists from UEFA member countries, was awarded to Rivaldo on 21 December 1999.
Ronaldo needs 47 to reach 1,000 career goals. With a recent average of around 45 goals a year and a role built for finishing, he is statistically well-placed to cross the mark if he stays on the pitch until 2027.
In the celebration, Ronaldo raised his hands to his face and dropped to his knees. "It was emotional because it's a milestone," he said. "It seems like any other milestone, but only I know, and the people around me, how hard it is to work every day, to be physically and psychologically fit, to score 900 goals.
From 2009 to 2018, the two played against each other at least twice per season during El Clásico matches but also met many other times in competitions such as the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and a two-legged Champions League semi-final in 2011.