Gianluigi Buffon vs Cuauhtémoc Blanco: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Forward, Mexico (born 1973, retired 2014)
Gianluigi Buffon versus Cuauhtémoc Blanco is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. By the end Gianluigi Buffon had 1 goals from 1147 caps and club outings; Cuauhtémoc Blanco had 250 from 700. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Gianluigi Buffon is credited with 0 and Cuauhtémoc Blanco with 100. In major honours Gianluigi Buffon collected 15 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) — whereas Cuauhtémoc Blanco amassed 4, led by 3× Liga MX (1992, 2002, 2005). History will file Gianluigi Buffon under sweeper-keen greatness and Cuauhtémoc Blanco under predatory greatness — different shelves, same temple. Club journeys add another layer, with Gianluigi Buffon reaching his representative peak around 2006 across Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma and Cuauhtémoc Blanco doing so around 1998 with América, Chicago Fire, Puebla FC. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
169 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Italian goalkeeper and the most capped Italian player of all time; 2006 World Cup winner and ten-time Serie A champion.
“An authoritative, athletic keeper whose longevity made him the most-capped goalkeeper in history.”
A flamboyant Mexican playmaker famed for inventing the 'Cuauhtemiña' skill move, Blanco starred at three World Cups across a 20-year career.
“A stocky, combative forward with outrageous flair, best remembered for hopping the ball between two defenders in a signature dribble.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 10× Serie A
- 2× Coppa Italia
- 1× UEFA Cup (1999)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2019)
- 3× Liga MX (1992, 2002, 2005)
- 1× CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1992)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 Parma debut
- 2001 World-record keeper transfer to Juventus
- 2003 Lost the Champions League final on penalties
- 2006 World Cup winner with Italy
- 2018 Joined Paris Saint-Germain
- 2019 Returned to Juventus
- 2023 Scored a career goal for Parma in Serie B
- 1992 Professional debut for América
- 1992 Won Liga MX with América
- 1992 Won CONCACAF Champions' Cup with América
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at América
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Puebla FC
- Finished his career with 250 goals in 700 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 250 goals in 700 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Gianluigi Buffon edges the comparison. The margin is a decisive margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a decisive margin)
