The Greatest Athletes of All Time, Ranked by Fan Votes

Athletes

You’re at the loudest table in the sports bar and somebody just said Michael Jordan is obviously above Muhammad Ali. Now the Messi fan is standing up, the Serena fan is laughing, and Tom Brady somehow has seven rings on the table.

This is the argument every sport tries to win. Team legends versus solo killers. Olympic perfection versus decades of pressure. Raw dominance versus unforgettable moments. There is no clean stat that settles it, which is exactly why the fight works.

Pick the athlete who made greatness feel unfair. Defend your sport, disrespect somebody else’s, and start voting. Right now.

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All Time ranks by all-time win rate across every head-to-head battle. Latest ranks by latest fan sentiment, updated as new battles are voted on.

1. MICHAEL JORDAN

77.1% win rate

#1 Greatest Athletes of All Time

2. MICHAEL PHELPS

63.2% win rate

#2 Greatest Athletes of All Time

3. MUHAMMAD ALI

60.4% win rate

#3 Greatest Athletes of All Time

4. WAYNE GRETZKY

58.6% win rate

#4 Greatest Athletes of All Time

5. TOM BRADY

54.7% win rate

#5 Greatest Athletes of All Time

6. SIMONE BILES

43.3% win rate

#6 Greatest Athletes of All Time

7. SERENA WILLIAMS

42.5% win rate

#7 Greatest Athletes of All Time

8. USAIN BOLT

39.6% win rate

#8 Greatest Athletes of All Time

9. LIONEL MESSI

38.5% win rate

#9 Greatest Athletes of All Time

10. LEBRON JAMES

36.0% win rate

#10 Greatest Athletes of All Time

11. CRISTIANO RONALDO

33.1% win rate

#11 Greatest Athletes of All Time

12. TIGER WOODS

29.7% win rate

#12 Greatest Athletes of All Time