George Best vs Paul Scholes: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1974, retired 2013)
Comparing George Best with Paul Scholes means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Silverware is the currency of legacy, and both players filled cabinets that few can rival. On production alone, George Best posted 214 goals across 616 appearances while Paul Scholes managed 169 across 784. 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 Paul Scholes with 75. George Best departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 1× European Cup (1968); Paul Scholes with 17, including 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008). One lifted trophies through clinical reliability, the other through intelligent moments that decided finals. Their routes to the top were distinct: George Best built his reputation across Manchester United, Fulham, others, peaking around 1968, while Paul Scholes reached his defining level around 2008 after spells with Manchester United. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
167 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.”
Manchester United midfielder renowned for his passing range and vision; two-time Champions League winner.
“A short-sighted, single-touch midfielder whose passing range was unmatched in his generation.”
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× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008)
- 11× Premier League
- 3× FA Cup (1996, 1999, 2004)
- 1× FIFA Club World 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
- 1994 Manchester United debut
- 1996 First Premier League title
- 1999 Treble winner with Manchester United
- 2003 Briefly retired from England duty
- 2008 Second Champions League winner
- 2011 Came out of retirement to help Manchester United
- 2013 Retired for good at Manchester United
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Paul Scholes wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Paul Scholes edges it (a decisive margin)
