Lionel Messi Cristiano RonaldoGetty
Gill Clark

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi told they're no longer the GOAT as new ranking reveals the heir to their throne - with Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland & Jude Bellingham battling to be No.1

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's time at the top of the game appears to be over with a host of players battling to be the new GOAT.

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  • Messi and Ronaldo era coming to an end
  • Players battling to be the new GOAT
  • New model reveals top contenders
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Both Ronaldo and Messi are heading towards the end of their phenomenal careers after dominating world football for the last two decades. The two superstars have won 13 of their last 15 Ballons d'Or, the top prize awarded to the best player on the planet. However, a new index by University of Oxford mathematician Dr Tom Crawford and Live Score has revealed which players are set to battle it out to succeed Ronaldo and Messi as the new GOAT.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Crawford has produced a mathematical model called the G.O.A.T. Index 2.0 in a bid to discover the next best player in the world. The model analyses the achievements and potential of global footballers under the age of 25 and offers a ranking dependent on various metrics such as goals, titles and career milestones. The research also looks at the potential of players using a sophisticated comparative analysis of Messi and Ronaldo’s careers to produce a final score.

  • WHAT THE RESEARCH SAID

    Dr Crawford's model has found that Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is currently top of the index with a score of 86%. He's followed, perhaps surprisingly, by Julian Alvarez (84%) and then Jude Bellingham (82%). Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland (81%) is in fourth spot, ahead of Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr (68%) and Rodrygo (64%), and Phil Foden (63%).

    GOAT IndexLive Score

  • WHAT DR CRAWFORD SAID

    He said: "As a massive football fan, I’ve watched Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi battle it out for many years. It’s now incredibly exciting to identify who of the next generation will take their place at the very top of the game, as a new debate grips fans. It’s no surprise to see players like Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham come out on top of my algorithm, but to also see perhaps more unexpected players is really exciting and I can’t wait to see what the future truly holds for the sport."

  • Ballon d'Or Power Rankings GFXGOAL

    WHAT NEXT

    The 2024 Ballon d'Or will be awarded at a ceremony in Paris on October 28. Mbappe, Bellingham and Haaland are all on the shortlist, with Vinicius Jr and Rodri the current favourites to lift the Golden Ball.