Zbigniew Boniek vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Forward, Poland (born 1956, retired 1988) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Comparing Zbigniew Boniek with Teófilo Cubillas means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. The raw numbers read 150 goals in 450 outings for Zbigniew Boniek (0.33/game), versus 220 in 500 for Teófilo Cubillas (0.44/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Zbigniew Boniek collected 3 — headlined by 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1984) — whereas Teófilo Cubillas amassed 4, led by 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978). One lifted trophies through clinical reliability, the other through dictatorial moments that decided finals. Their routes to the top were distinct: Zbigniew Boniek built his reputation across Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Widzew Łódź, Juventus, Roma, peaking around 1982, while Teófilo Cubillas reached his defining level around 1978 after spells with Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
177 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Poland's finest post-war player, Boniek starred in Poland's run to third place at the 1982 World Cup before becoming one of Juventus's key attackers of the mid-1980s.
“A quick, clever forward whose dribbling and movement made him a constant attacking outlet in transition.”
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
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× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1984)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (1984)
- 1× Serie A (1984)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1973 Professional debut for Zawisza Bydgoszcz
- 1984 Won UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Juventus
- 1984 Won Serie A with Juventus
- 1982 Reached the peak of his powers at Widzew Łódź
- 1988 Retired after a final spell at Roma
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Teófilo Cubillas wins out by a narrow margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Teófilo Cubillas edges it (a narrow margin)
