George Best vs David James: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1970, retired 2014)
There is something timeless about weighing George Best against David James. Their jobs on the pitch were not the same, yet both redefined what their role could be. The raw numbers read 214 goals in 616 outings for George Best (0.35/game), versus 0 in 850 for David James (0.00/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. George Best departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 1× European Cup (1968); David James with 1, including 1× FA Cup (2008). The winger / forward duties of George Best leaned ruthless; the goalkeeper responsibilities of David James leaned imposing. The wider career context matters too: George Best peaked around 1968 after representing Manchester United, Fulham, others, while David James's defining level came around 2005 across Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Bristol City, Bournemouth. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
169 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
Northern Irish winger and Manchester United icon; Ballon d'Or winner in 1968 after helping Manchester United win their first European Cup.
“A balance-perfect winger who combined dribbling flair with an eye for goal and a rock-star aura.”
The Premier League's most-capped goalkeeper at the time of his retirement, James was renowned for his shot-stopping and occasional highlight-reel errors across a two-decade top-flight career.
“An athletic, agile shot-stopper whose reflexes and command of his box made him a mainstay of English goalkeeping for two decades.”
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× European Cup (1968)
- 2× English First Division (1965, 1967)
- 2× FA Charity Shield (1965, 1967)
- 1× FA Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1963 Manchester United debut aged 17
- 1965 First English First Division title
- 1968 European Cup winner and Ballon d'Or winner
- 1968 Joint top scorer in the First Division
- 1972 Brief retirement then return to Manchester United
- 1974 Left Manchester United
- 1984 Made final professional appearances in the United States
- 1988 Professional debut for Watford
- 2008 Won FA Cup with Portsmouth
- 2005 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Bournemouth
- Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours. Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, George Best takes it by a decisive margin.
George Best edges it (a decisive margin)
