Gianluigi Buffon vs Wesley Sneijder: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Attacking Midfielder, Netherlands (born 1984, retired 2019)
Gianluigi Buffon versus Wesley Sneijder is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. The raw numbers read 1 goals in 1147 outings for Gianluigi Buffon (0.00/game), versus 152 in 573 for Wesley Sneijder (0.27/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 Gianluigi Buffon collected 15 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) — whereas Wesley Sneijder amassed 8, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (2010). Gianluigi Buffon belonged to the turn of the millennium, dominating with a sweeper-keen quality; Wesley Sneijder rose in the modern era with a incisive edge. 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; Wesley Sneijder's came around 2010 across Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter, Galatasaray. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
167 words · comparison angle: era
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.”
Wesley Sneijder is a Dutch former professional footballer. Noted for his playmaking ability, he was considered one of the best midfielders in the world during his prime. A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Sneijder started his professional career playing for Ajax, with whom he won four trophies and was awarded the Johan Cruyff Trophy in 2004.
“A sharp, two-footed creator who could unlock a defence or score from 25 yards.”
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× UEFA Champions League (2010)
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
- 2002 Established himself at Ajax
- 2006 Reached his defining peak
- 2010 Delivered a landmark season
- 2019 Retired from professional football
The verdict
On balance Gianluigi Buffon edges the comparison. The margin is a narrow margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a narrow margin)
