Sergio Agüero vs Edwin van der Sar: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1988, retired 2021) · Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011)
Set Sergio Agüero alongside Edwin van der Sar and the numbers start an argument of their own. Beyond the numbers, each man brought a singular aesthetic to the pitch. Across his senior career Sergio Agüero notched 427 goals in 700 appearances (0.61 per game), while Edwin van der Sar recorded 0 in 820 (0.00 per game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Sergio Agüero is credited with 110 and Edwin van der Sar with 0. Sergio Agüero departs the game with 10 major pieces of silverware, including 5× Premier League (2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021); Edwin van der Sar with 9, including 1× UEFA Champions League (2008). Sergio Agüero played with a mercurial that made him unmistakable; Edwin van der Sar brought a imposing that was equally his own. Club journeys add another layer, with Sergio Agüero reaching his representative peak around 2014 across Independiente, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona and Edwin van der Sar doing so around 2008 with Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
195 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
A clinical, ice-cool Argentine striker who scored Manchester City's most dramatic title-winning goal and became the club's all-time top scorer.
“A low, powerful, instinctive finisher with explosive acceleration in the box and a knack for the biggest moments.”
Edwin van der Sar is a Dutch football executive and former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he was most recently the chief executive of Eredivisie club Ajax. Van der Sar began his senior playing career with Ajax in the early 1990s; he is considered to be a member of the club's golden generation and was part of the team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995.
“A tall, composed goalkeeper who made difficult saves look quiet and simple.”
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
- 5× Premier League (2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021)
- 1× UEFA Europa League (2010)
- 4× League Cup (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2003 Professional debut for Independiente
- 2012 Won Premier League with Manchester City
- 2014 Won League Cup with Manchester City
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2021 Retired after a final spell at Barcelona
- Finished his career with 427 goals in 700 appearances and 10 major honours. Finished his career with 427 goals in 700 appearances and 10 major honours.
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Sergio Agüero wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Sergio Agüero edges it (a decisive margin)
