Gianluigi Buffon vs Deco: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Attacking Midfielder, Portugal (born 1977, retired 2013)
Few debates split football fans quite like Gianluigi Buffon versus Deco. Greatness, in the end, is about who you inspired, and both left a footprint far beyond their own careers. Gianluigi Buffon finishes with 1 career goals from 1147 games — a 0.00 strike rate — against Deco's 90 from 550 at 0.16 per match. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Gianluigi Buffon is listed at 0 and Deco at 100 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Gianluigi Buffon 15 and Deco 5, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) and 2× UEFA Champions League (2004, 2006) the standout honours respectively. History will file Gianluigi Buffon under reflex-sharp greatness and Deco under orchestrating greatness — different shelves, same temple. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Gianluigi Buffon's landmark level arrived around 2006 with a career spanning Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma; Deco's came around 2004 across Nacional, Porto, Barcelona, Chelsea, Fluminense. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
177 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 Brazilian-born playmaker who became a Portugal icon, Deco won the UEFA Cup and Champions League with Porto before repeating the European triumph at Barcelona two years later.
“A quick-thinking, tenacious playmaker who combined physical durability with excellent vision and set-piece delivery.”
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)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (2004, 2006)
- 1× UEFA Cup (2003)
- 2× La Liga (2005, 2006)
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
- 1997 Professional debut for Nacional
- 2004 Won UEFA Champions League with Porto
- 2005 Won La Liga with Barcelona
- 2004 Reached the peak of his powers at Porto
- 2013 Retired after a final spell at Fluminense
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Gianluigi Buffon takes it by a clear margin.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a clear margin)
