George Best vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Few debates split football fans quite like George Best versus Mario Kempes. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Across his senior career George Best notched 214 goals in 616 appearances (0.35 per game), while Mario Kempes recorded 350 in 600 (0.58 per game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. The honours ledger favours George Best with 5 major trophies (1× European Cup (1968)) against Mario Kempes's 3 (1× FIFA World Cup (1978)). George Best built his medal haul through years of mercurial consistency, while Mario Kempes won his with explosive bursts of brilliance. Their routes to the top were distinct: George Best built his reputation across Manchester United, Fulham, others, peaking around 1968, while Mario Kempes reached his defining level around 1978 after spells with Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
171 words · comparison angle: trophies
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 talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
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
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give George Best the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a stronger all-round attribute profile.
George Best edges it (a clear margin)
