Lionel Messi has become the face of MLS in recent years, but long before his move to the United States, his achievements, trophies and records had already made him one of the greatest athletes in sports history. As 2025 draws to a close, the argentinian icon is at number 1, ahead of stars like Christiano RonaldoTom Brady and LeBron James in a prestigious 21st century list.
As in any sport, a select few athletes stand out from the rest, consistently raising the bar through dominance and longevity. Besides statistics and championships, legacy and impact also play a determining roledefining how one athlete reshaped his sport and secured a permanent place in history.
As the first quarter of the century draws to a close, Canadian outlet The Québec Journal has been released ranking of the 25 best athletes of the 21st century. The list includes several sports, both team and individual. and puts Lionel Messi at the very top.
The described socket Messi as the defining player of his generation and did not shy away from calling him the greatest of all time. His CV includes a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, ten La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies and numerous goalscoring records with both FC Barcelona and Argentina, culminating in winning the 2022 World Cup.
Lionel Messi of Argentina holds the FIFA World Cup trophy.
The rest of the ranking consists of top athletes from across the sports world. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady finished secondwhile former swimmer Michael Phelpsthe most decorated Olympian in history with 28 medals, including 23 gold, rounded out the top three.
see also
Lionel Messi’s 2026 World Cup hopes doubted by MLS rival Thomas Müller: ‘I doubt’
Cristiano Ronaldo is far from Messi
Excelling individually in a sport that is played for more than 90 minutes with 21 other players is no easy task. yet both Messi and Ronaldo have managed to do this consistently throughout their careers. Although the Portuguese star has flourished at every club he has represented, he finished well behind Messi in this particular ranking.
The Québec Journal placed Cristiano Ronaldo 10th overallciting his five Ballon d’Or awards and five Champions League titles. His record of over 100 goals for four different clubs, along with his status as all-time top scorer in men’s football, also played a role in his inclusion.
Still, the outlet noted that Ronaldo did not reach Messi’s level in terms of overall impact. He was behind Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, Le Bron James, Novak Djokovic, Simone BilesAnd Kobe Bryantamong others.
Top 25 Athletes of the 21st Century
As released by The Québec Journalthese are the 25 greatest athletes of the first quarter of the 21st century:
- Lionel Messi – Football
- Tom Brady – Football
- Michael Phelps – Swimming
- Serena Williams — Tennis
- Usain Bolt — Athletics
- Le Bron James – Basketball
- Novak Djokovic — Tennis
- Simone Biles — Gymnastics
- Kobe Bryant – Basketball
- Christiano Ronaldo – Football
- Tiger Forest — Golfing
- Roger Federer -Tennis
- Rafael Nadal — Tennis
- Stefan Curry – Basketball
- Lewis Hamilton — Formula 1
- Katie Ledecky – Swimming
- Floyd Mayweather — Boxing
- Sidney Crosby – Hockey
- Mikael Kingsbury – Freestyle skiing
- Michael Schumacher — Formula 1
- Shohei Ohtani — Baseball
- Mikaela Shiffrin — Alpine skiing
- Patrick Mahomes – Football
- Alexander Ovechkin – Hockey
- Marta – Football
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