GOAT (sports culture)

In sports culture, both spectators and participants have been documented to engage in discussions regarding a sport's greatest of all time, often referred to by the abbreviation "GOAT". The origins of the term as an acronym with positive connotations is often credited to the mid-20th century boxer Muhammad Ali. Its ubiquitous usage in sports conversations and debates was popularized in the 21st century.

The assessment of players as the greatest in a sport is often made by sportswriters and other media members based on wide-ranging criteria. Both objective measures, such as statistics and championships, as well as subjective commentary regarding an athlete's intangible traits are often considered. Sportswriters have noted issues with GOAT debates, including recency bias, as well as the improvement of nutrition and training over time, which some view as making it a challenge to compare players across eras. Many sports have no consensus for their single greatest all-time player. Cross-sport discussions have been held, also to no consensus. The assessment of a woman as a sport's greatest athlete or inclusion in cross-sports commentary as an all-time singular greatest athlete has been discussed.

Players themselves have also commented on GOAT conversations, with a mixed sentiment amongst them. Some refuse to include themselves in conversations, often highlighting other players' accomplishments, though some have proclaimed themselves as the greatest in their sport. Meanwhile, some find the topic misguided or foolish. Players have also been associated by themselves or others with imagery of the animal.