Gianluigi Buffon vs Paul Ince: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1967, retired 2006)
Line up Gianluigi Buffon next to Paul Ince and the contrasts come quickly. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. The raw numbers read 1 goals in 1147 outings for Gianluigi Buffon (0.00/game), versus 90 in 650 for Paul Ince (0.14/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Gianluigi Buffon is listed at 0 and Paul Ince at 60 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Gianluigi Buffon 15 and Paul Ince 4, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) and 2× Premier League (1993, 1994) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through sweeper-keen reliability, the other through orchestrating moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Gianluigi Buffon reaching his representative peak around 2006 across Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma and Paul Ince doing so around 1994 with West Ham United, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swindon Town. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
171 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
The first Black player to captain England, Ince was a combative, driving midfielder at the heart of Manchester United's early Premier League dominance.
“An aggressive, all-action midfielder whose tackling and late runs into the box made him a formidable box-to-box presence.”
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× Premier League (1993, 1994)
- 2× FA Cup (1990, 1994)
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
- 1986 Professional debut for West Ham United
- 1993 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 1990 Won FA Cup with Manchester United
- 1994 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Swindon Town
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 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)
