Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Lionel Messi Tops Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo in Prestigious 21st-Century Ranking

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Manuel Meza Cienfuegos | Last updated Dec 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Lionel Messi surpassed Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo, and other elite athletes and former athletes in the ranking of 'the best athlete of the 21st Century,' according to Le Journal de Quebec.

Messi appears in first place, while Brady follows in second place. For his part, Ronaldo drops to tenth place.

The ranking is completed by other historic athletes like Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, and LeBron James. This is the complete list:

Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Tom Brady (United States)
Michael Phelps (United States)
Serena Williams (United States)
Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
LeBron James (United States)
Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Simone Biles (United States)
Kobe Bryant (United States)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

View this post on Instagram

Recently, Messi became a Major League Soccer champion for the first time since his arrival at Inter Miami CF in 2023, and joined a small group of athletes who have won the MVP award in the top tier of a U.S. sports league in two consecutive years.

Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF holds the Champions' trophy after the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Final match between Inter Miami CF and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium on December 06, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

What's Next for Lionel Messi & Inter Miami?

Inter Miami is already working on what will be the 2026 season, in which they will no longer have big names like Jordi Alba or Sergio Busquets.

However, the Herons will continue to build around the undisputed leader of their project, Messi. The club's priority is to surround the Argentine superstar with the best available talent in the transfer market.

The Argentine extended his contract with Inter Miami until 2028, so the Barcelona legend will remain a key piece both on the sporting side and in promotion for Miami Freedom Park, the club's new stadium, which is set to open in 2026.

That said, the club's front office is focused on the sporting side. They aim to provide head coach Javier Mascherano with a roster capable of contending for another MLS Cup and, for the first time, conquering the Concacaf Champions Cup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: