GOAT Index

Two legends at a time. Thousands of votes. One ranking.

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Marco van Basten: the case for the GOAT

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    Marco van Basten: the case for the GOAT

    Forward · Netherlands · Born 31 October 1964, Utrecht, Netherlands · Career 1981–1995

    Technically perfect centre-forward who could score every kind of goal. Starred for Ajax and AC Milan and led the Netherlands to Euro 1988, before an ankle injury ended his career early.

    Career highlights

    Why Marco van Basten could be the GOAT

    Van Basten may be the purest striker in history. His volley in the Euro 1988 final is one of the most famous goals ever scored, and he won three Ballon d'Ors before injury stopped him at 28. Judged on peak alone, he belongs near the top.

    What fans say

    Marco van Basten is #21 of 30 in the fan ranking, with a 4–4 head-to-head record from 82 Men's football votes. See the full Men's football GOAT ranking

    Marco van Basten head to head

    How the ranking works. Every head-to-head vote is a result, like a game. The standings use a Bradley–Terry model, the same idea behind chess ratings: beating a highly rated legend counts for more than beating a long shot. Ratings are shown on a chess-style scale centred on 1500.

    One vote per matchup per person. If you see a pairing again in another session your new answer replaces the old one, so nobody can stuff the ballot by repeating a matchup.

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      Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under the licenses listed. Each links to its source page.