George Best vs Nwankwo Kanu: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Striker, Nigeria (born 1976, retired 2012)
Line up George Best next to Nwankwo Kanu and the contrasts come quickly. Long after the final whistle, what lingers is influence, and each man reshaped his corner of the game. Career output puts George Best at 214 goals in 616 games, with Nwankwo Kanu at 130 in 550. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, George Best is credited with 0 and Nwankwo Kanu with 55. George Best departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 1× European Cup (1968); Nwankwo Kanu with 6, including 1× UEFA Champions League (1995). Their legacies diverge in texture: George Best is remembered as ruthless, Nwankwo Kanu as clinical. Club journeys add another layer, with George Best reaching his representative peak around 1968 across Manchester United, Fulham, others and Nwankwo Kanu doing so around 1999 with Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, Portsmouth. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
172 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.”
A gangly, silky Nigerian forward who won the Champions League with Ajax and Olympic gold before starring in Arsenal's 'Invincibles' era, all while overcoming a serious heart condition.
“A tall, unusually elegant forward whose close control and vision belied his height, often dropping deep to create for 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× European Cup (1968)
- 2× English First Division (1965, 1967)
- 2× FA Charity Shield (1965, 1967)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 2× Premier League (2002, 2004)
- 2× FA Cup (2003, 2008)
- 1× Olympic Gold Medal (1996)
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
- 1992 Professional debut for Iwuanyanwu Nationale
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1996 Won Olympic Gold Medal with Ajax
- 1999 Reached the peak of his powers at Inter Milan
- 2012 Retired after a final spell at Portsmouth
- Finished his career with 130 goals in 550 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 130 goals in 550 appearances and 6 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but George Best wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
George Best edges it (a decisive margin)
