Iker Casillas vs Patrick Vieira: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Spain (born 1981, retired 2020) · Central Midfielder, France (born 1976, retired 2011)
Ask any fan to rank Iker Casillas above or below Patrick Vieira and you will get a passionate answer. They belonged to different eras, which makes any direct comparison a test of imagination as much as statistics. Iker Casillas finishes with 0 career goals from 1048 games — a 0.00 strike rate — against Patrick Vieira's 68 from 737 at 0.09 per match. Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. Trophy counts give Iker Casillas 14 and Patrick Vieira 15, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2010) and 1× FIFA World Cup (1998) the standout honours respectively. Iker Casillas belonged to the modern era, dominating with a sweeper-keen quality; Patrick Vieira rose in the turn of the millennium with a incisive edge. The wider career context matters too: Iker Casillas peaked around 2010 after representing Real Madrid, Porto, while Patrick Vieira's defining level came around 2004 across Cannes, AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan, Manchester City. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
182 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.”
Arsenal captain who led the Invincibles to the 2003-04 Premier League title; World Cup and Euro winner with France.
“A towering, leggy box-to-box enforcer who combined physicality with technical security in midfield.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 2× FIFA Confederations Cup (2001, 2003)
- 3× Premier League (1998, 2002, 2004)
- 4× Serie A (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- 4× FA Cup (1998, 2002, 2003, 2005)
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
- 1994 Cannes debut
- 1996 Joined AC Milan for limited game time
- 1996 Signed for Arsenal
- 1998 World Cup winner with France
- 2001 Succeeded Tony Adams as Arsenal captain
- 2005 Left Arsenal for Juventus
- 2011 Retired at Manchester City
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Patrick Vieira takes it by a decisive margin.
Patrick Vieira edges it (a decisive margin)
