Abedi Pelé vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Ghana (born 1964, retired 2000) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Set Abedi Pelé alongside Teófilo Cubillas and the numbers start an argument of their own. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. By the end Abedi Pelé had 220 goals from 550 caps and club outings; Teófilo Cubillas had 220 from 500. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Abedi Pelé is credited with 100 and Teófilo Cubillas with 0. In major honours Abedi Pelé collected 4 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (1993) — whereas Teófilo Cubillas amassed 4, led by 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978). Abedi Pelé built his medal haul through years of creative consistency, while Teófilo Cubillas won his with silky bursts of brilliance. Club journeys add another layer, with Abedi Pelé reaching his representative peak around 1993 across Djoliba AC, Niort, Marseille, Lyon, Marseille, Torino, 1860 Munich, Al-Ain and Teófilo Cubillas doing so around 1978 with Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
193 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Ghana's greatest ever player, Abedi Pelé was the creative heartbeat of Marseille's 1993 Champions League-winning side and a three-time African Footballer of the Year.
“A silky, powerful attacking midfielder who combined close control with surging runs from deep.”
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1993)
- 3× Ligue 1 (1989, 1990, 1991)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1983 Professional debut for Djoliba AC
- 1993 Won UEFA Champions League with Lyon
- 1989 Won Ligue 1 with Marseille
- 1993 Reached the peak of his powers at Lyon
- 2000 Retired after a final spell at Al-Ain
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Abedi Pelé takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by superior creative output.
Abedi Pelé edges it (a clear margin)
