The GOAT debate is fierce. Badminton fans can’t agree on which player is the greatest of all time (GOAT). Thankfully, Badmintonranks came up with a, let’s say, scientific way to determine the men’s singles GOATS.
Badmintonranks created a ranking system based on a range of criteria. In our view, their method is good enough to determine the greatest male singles badminton players of all time.
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Top 10 men’s singles badminton players of all time
Bear in mind that you’ll need to understand the GOAT ranking methodology to appreciate the top 10 GOAT list from Badmintonranks. Read about the GOAT ranking methodology here.
Of course, there is no way of determining the competitive fierceness of any given era. For example, Chinese players did not fully join the BWF circuit until the 1980s, which might have made it easier for other players to do well in the preceding eras.
Here is the complete top 10 GOATS for men’s singles as of May 2025. The list includes active and retired players.
See the full list here at Badmintonranks
Why isn’t your favorite badminton GOAT on the list?
That’s a fair question. Let’s give a few broad indications as to why your favorite GOAT didn’t make it to the top of the list:
– The Badmintonrank method favors winners of the Olympics and World Championships
– All England winners are awarded relatively few points (13), compared to Asian Games (49)
– Tournament winners are awarded significantly more points than the runner-up
The scoring system is not favorable to legendary players such as Peter Gade of Denmark or Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia. The reason being that neither won an Olympic or World Champion gold.
Indonesian legends such as Liem Swie King, Arbi, Suprianto, Hartono, and Sugiarto. These amazing Indonesian legends did not have an opportunity to compete at the Olympics. As a result, they are placed “way down” the list of GOATS.
