Cafu vs Daniele De Rossi: Stats Compared
Right-Back, Brazil (born 1970, retired 2008) · Central Midfielder, Italy (born 1983, retired 2019)
There is something timeless about weighing Cafu against Daniele De Rossi. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. The raw numbers read 53 goals in 856 outings for Cafu (0.06/game), versus 65 in 700 for Daniele De Rossi (0.09/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Cafu is listed at 0 and Daniele De Rossi at 60 where figures survive. In major honours Cafu collected 9 — headlined by 2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002) — whereas Daniele De Rossi amassed 3, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006). One lifted trophies through uncompromising reliability, the other through orchestrating moments that decided finals. The wider career context matters too: Cafu peaked around 2002 after representing São Paulo, Roma, Milan, while Daniele De Rossi's defining level came around 2013 across Roma. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
158 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Marcos Evangelista de Morais (born 7 June 1970), known as Cafu, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, he was known for his pace and energetic attacking runs along the right flank. He is the most-capped player for the Brazil national team with 142 appearances.
“A relentless full-back whose running power and crossing made the flank a second engine.”
A one-club legend and 2006 World Cup winner, De Rossi embodied Roma's midfield for nearly two decades, combining ferocious tackling with a superb range of passing.
“A commanding, technically excellent deep-lying midfielder who mixed hard tackling with elegant long-range distribution.”
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
- 2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× Coppa Italia (2007, 2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1994 Established himself at São Paulo
- 1998 Reached his defining peak
- 2002 Delivered a landmark season
- 2008 Retired from professional football
- 2001 Professional debut for Roma
- 2006 Won FIFA World Cup with Roma
- 2007 Won Coppa Italia with Roma
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Roma
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Roma
- Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Cafu the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Cafu edges it (a clear margin)
