Greatest Athlete of the 21st Century: Ronaldo Ranks 10th, Top Spot Well Deserved!

Lionel Messi has been honored by Le Journal de Québec as the greatest athlete of the 21st century, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo and numerous top sports icons worldwide.

In recent years, Lionel Messi has become the face of MLS. However, long before moving to play in the US, his performances, titles and records were enough to place the Argentine superstar among the greatest athletes in sports history. As 2025 draws to a close, Messi ranks number one, ahead of many legendary names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady, and LeBron James in a prestigious 21st-century ranking.

In any sport, there is always a very small group of individuals who stand apart from the rest, continuously raising the standard through sustained dominance and peak longevity. Beyond statistics and trophy counts, legacy and influence are also key factors in determining how an athlete has reshaped their sport and left an everlasting mark in history.

As the first quarter of the 21st century nears its end, Canadian newspaper Le Journal de Québec released the ranking of the 25 best athletes of the century. This list spans various sports, both team and individual, with Lionel Messi placed at the very top.

The paper describes Messi as an iconic player of an entire generation and does not hesitate to call him the “greatest of all time.” Messi’s resume includes a record 8 Ballon d’Or awards, 10 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles along with numerous scoring records for both Barcelona and the Argentina national team, highlighted by the 2022 World Cup victory.

The rest of the ranking features elite athletes from around the sports world. Tom Brady, holder of 7 Super Bowl championships, ranks second. Third place goes to former swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever with a total of 28 medals, including 23 golds.

Cristiano Ronaldo Trails Far Behind Messi

Standing out individually in a 90-minute sport with 21 other players has never been easy, but both Messi and Ronaldo have done so consistently throughout their careers. Despite the Portuguese star’s success at every club he played for, he still ranks quite far behind Messi in this ranking.

Le Journal de Québec places Cristiano Ronaldo at 10th, based on his 5 Ballon d’Or awards and 5 Champions League titles. His achievement of scoring over 100 goals for four different clubs, along with being the highest male goal scorer in football history, were also considered.

However, the paper notes that Ronaldo has not reached the overall influence level of Messi. He ranks behind other names such as Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, LeBron James, Novak Djokovic, Simone Biles, and Kobe Bryant.

Top 25 Best Athletes of the 21st Century

According to Le Journal de Québec, the 25 greatest athletes in the first quarter of the 21st century are: