Iker Casillas vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Spain (born 1981, retired 2020) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Line up Iker Casillas next to Elías Figueroa and the contrasts come quickly. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. Career output puts Iker Casillas at 0 goals in 1048 games, with Elías Figueroa at 40 in 600. Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. The honours ledger favours Iker Casillas with 14 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (2010)) against Elías Figueroa's 5 (2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)). Across the modern era and the 1970s respectively, their reflex-sharp and elegant styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Their routes to the top were distinct: Iker Casillas built his reputation across Real Madrid, Porto, peaking around 2010, while Elías Figueroa reached his defining level around 1974 after spells with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
166 words · comparison angle: era
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.”
A three-time South American Footballer of the Year, Figueroa is widely considered the finest defender the continent has produced, marshalling Internacional's dominant 1970s side.
“An imperious, elegant centre-back who combined aerial dominance with composed distribution well ahead of his era.”
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)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
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
- 1965 Professional debut for Santiago Wanderers
- 1967 Won Uruguayan Primera División with Peñarol
- 1973 Won Campeonato Gaúcho with Internacional
- 1974 Reached the peak of his powers at Internacional
- 1982 Retired after a final spell at Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Iker Casillas wins out by a clear margin on the weight of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Iker Casillas edges it (a clear margin)
