Gianluigi Buffon vs Emmanuel Petit: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Defensive Midfielder, France (born 1970, retired 2004)
Line up Gianluigi Buffon next to Emmanuel Petit and the contrasts come quickly. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. On production alone, Gianluigi Buffon posted 1 goals across 1147 appearances while Emmanuel Petit managed 45 across 500. 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 Emmanuel Petit with 40. In major honours Gianluigi Buffon collected 15 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) — whereas Emmanuel Petit amassed 4, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (1998). Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Gianluigi Buffon reflex-sharp, Emmanuel Petit orchestrating. Club journeys add another layer, with Gianluigi Buffon reaching his representative peak around 2006 across Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma and Emmanuel Petit doing so around 1998 with Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
165 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
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.”
Scorer of France's third goal in the 1998 World Cup final, Petit was a versatile, combative midfielder who completed the Premier League and FA Cup double with Arsenal that same year.
“A tall, technically sound midfielder capable of playing centre-back or holding midfield with equal composure.”
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)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 1× Premier League (1998)
- 1× FA Cup (1998)
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
- 1988 Professional debut for Monaco
- 1998 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Chelsea
- Finished his career with 45 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 45 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Gianluigi Buffon is the choice: a decisive margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a decisive margin)
