George Best vs Fernando Redondo: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Defensive Midfielder, Argentina (born 1969, retired 2004)
Line up George Best next to Fernando Redondo and the contrasts come quickly. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. Career output puts George Best at 214 goals in 616 games, with Fernando Redondo at 30 in 450. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — George Best is listed at 0 and Fernando Redondo at 60 where figures survive. In major honours George Best collected 5 — headlined by 1× European Cup (1968) — whereas Fernando Redondo amassed 5, led by 2× La Liga (1995, 1997). George Best played with a mercurial that made him unmistakable; Fernando Redondo brought a orchestrating that was equally his own. The wider career context matters too: George Best peaked around 1968 after representing Manchester United, Fulham, others, while Fernando Redondo's defining level came around 1998 across Argentinos Juniors, Real Madrid, AC Milan. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
171 words · comparison angle: style
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 supremely elegant defensive midfielder famed for his flowing hair and a single backheel that became one of the sport's most replayed pieces of skill.
“An elegant, deep-lying playmaker who shielded the defence while dictating play with effortless long passing.”
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)
- 2× La Liga (1995, 1997)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000)
- 1× Intercontinental Cup (1998)
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
- 1987 Professional debut for Argentinos Juniors
- 1995 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Won Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at AC Milan
- Finished his career with 30 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 30 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but George Best wins out by a narrow margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
George Best edges it (a narrow margin)
