Franco Baresi vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Sweeper / Centre-Back, Italy (born 1960, retired 1997) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
There is something timeless about weighing Franco Baresi against Per Mertesacker. They occupied different roles, which makes a like-for-like verdict a careful exercise. The raw numbers read 19 goals in 800 outings for Franco Baresi (0.02/game), versus 15 in 550 for Per Mertesacker (0.03/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Franco Baresi is listed at 0 and Per Mertesacker at 5 where figures survive. The honours ledger favours Franco Baresi with 18 major trophies (3× European Cup (1989, 1990, 1994)) against Per Mertesacker's 4 (1× FIFA World Cup (2014)). As a sweeper / centre-back Franco Baresi bent the role to a uncompromising template; as a centre-back, Per Mertesacker redefined it with uncompromising authority. The wider career context matters too: Franco Baresi peaked around 1989 after representing AC Milan, while Per Mertesacker's defining level came around 2014 across Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
169 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
AC Milan icon who spent his entire 20-year career at the club; three-time European Cup winner and 1994 World Cup finalist with Italy.
“A peerless sweeper whose reading, tackling and leadership built a defensive dynasty at Milan.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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
- 3× European Cup (1989, 1990, 1994)
- 6× Serie A (1979, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996)
- 4× Supercoppa Italiana
- 3× UEFA Super Cup
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (1989, 1990)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1977 AC Milan debut aged 17
- 1979 First Scudetto with Milan
- 1980 Stayed at Milan in Serie B after the betting scandal
- 1989 First European Cup with Milan
- 1994 Won the Champions League conceding just 15 goals in 30 league games
- 1997 Retired aged 37 with the number 6 shirt retired in his honour
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Franco Baresi wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Franco Baresi edges it (a decisive margin)
