David Beckham vs Raúl: Stats Compared
Right Midfielder, England (born 1975, retired 2013) · Striker, Spain (born 1977, retired 2015)
David Beckham and Raúl represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. By the end David Beckham had 145 goals from 839 caps and club outings; Raúl had 432 from 1032. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, David Beckham is credited with 152 and Raúl with 0. David Beckham departs the game with 13 major pieces of silverware, including 1× UEFA Champions League (1999); Raúl with 16, including 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002). Their legacies diverge in texture: David Beckham is remembered as intelligent, Raúl as explosive. The wider career context matters too: David Beckham peaked around 1999 after representing Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, while Raúl's defining level came around 2002 across Real Madrid, Schalke 04, Al Sadd, New York Cosmos. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
176 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
English midfielder renowned for his crossing and free-kicks; Champions League winner with Manchester United in 1999 and six-time Premier League champion.
“A pinpoint crosser and dead-ball specialist whose right foot could deliver any ball over any distance.”
Real Madrid legend who captained the club to three Champions League titles; held the all-time Champions League goals record before Messi and Ronaldo surpassed him.
“An intelligent, tireless forward whose movement off the ball created chances for himself and others.”
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 (1999)
- 6× Premier League
- 2× FA Cup
- 1× La Liga (2007)
- 2× MLS Cup (2011, 2012)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2013)
- 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002)
- 6× La Liga
- 4× Supercopa de España
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (1998, 2002)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (2002)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1992 Manchester United debut
- 1996 Scored a goal from halfway against Wimbledon
- 1999 Treble winner with Manchester United
- 2001 Last-minute free-kick against Greece sent England to the World Cup
- 2003 Joined Real Madrid
- 2007 Moved to LA Galaxy
- 2013 Won Ligue 1 with PSG and retired
- 1994 Real Madrid debut aged 17
- 1996 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Champions League winner at 20
- 2000 Champions League winner, top scorer in the tournament
- 2003 Became Real Madrid captain
- 2010 Left Real Madrid after 16 years at the club
- 2015 Retired at New York Cosmos
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Raúl takes the verdict — a narrow margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Raúl edges it (a narrow margin)
