Iker Casillas vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Spain (born 1981, retired 2020) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Iker Casillas against Clint Dempsey is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Style separates them as much as statistics: two players, two unmistakable signatures. Iker Casillas finishes with 0 career goals from 1048 games — a 0.00 strike rate — against Clint Dempsey's 180 from 550 at 0.33 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Iker Casillas is credited with 0 and Clint Dempsey with 90. The honours ledger favours Iker Casillas with 14 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (2010)) against Clint Dempsey's 2 (1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)). Stylistically Iker Casillas was authoritative where Clint Dempsey was flair-driven — two vocabularies of the same sport. Club journeys add another layer, with Iker Casillas reaching his representative peak around 2010 across Real Madrid, Porto and Clint Dempsey doing so around 2012 with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
174 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Real Madrid and Spain captain who holds the record for most caps for Spain; 2010 World Cup winner and two-time European champion.
“A brave, agile shot-stopper whose reflexes carried club and country through a golden era.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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 (2010)
- 2× UEFA European Championship (2008, 2012)
- 3× UEFA Champions League (2000, 2002, 2014)
- 5× La Liga
- 2× Copa del Rey
- 1× FIFA Club World Cup (2014)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1999 Real Madrid debut aged 18
- 2000 Champions League winner, youngest keeper in a final
- 2002 Saved the World Cup final despite nearly being dropped
- 2008 Euro winner as Spain captain
- 2012 Won a third consecutive major tournament with Spain
- 2015 Left Real Madrid for Porto
- 2020 Retired after a cardiac arrest in training
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Iker Casillas takes it by a decisive margin.
Iker Casillas edges it (a decisive margin)
