George Best vs Jorge Campos: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Goalkeeper, Mexico (born 1966, retired 2004)
The George Best–Jorge Campos comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Legacy is the only real measure that outlives the numbers, and both have staked towering claims. Career output puts George Best at 214 goals in 616 games, with Jorge Campos at 40 in 686. Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. In major honours George Best collected 5 — headlined by 1× European Cup (1968) — whereas Jorge Campos amassed 8, led by 1× Mexican Primera División. Their legacies diverge in texture: George Best is remembered as ruthless, Jorge Campos as commanding. Their routes to the top were distinct: George Best built his reputation across Manchester United, Fulham, others, peaking around 1968, while Jorge Campos reached his defining level around 1991 after spells with Pumas UNAM, Atlante, Cruz Azul. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
167 words · comparison angle: legacy
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.”
Jorge Campos Navarrete (born 15 October 1966) is a Mexican professional football coach and player who plays as a goalkeeper for Tercera Federación – Group 7 club México FC. A notable player of Mexico in the 1990s and early 2000s, Campos was an eccentric player, known for his constant play outside the penalty area – often functioning as a sweeper-keeper, as well as his acrobatic, risky, and flamboyant style of goalkeeping, and his colourful playing attire. His main strengths as a goalkeeper were his leaping ability, athleticism, and speed when rushing off his line, as well as his ability to organize his defense, which enabled him to overcome his short stature.
“A fearless, undersized goalkeeper who compensated with spring, bravery and unusual footwork.”
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× Mexican Primera División
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
- 1983 Established himself at Pumas UNAM
- 1987 Reached his defining peak
- 1991 Delivered a landmark season
- 2004 Retired from professional football
The verdict
The numbers give George Best the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
George Best edges it (a clear margin)
