José Luis Chilavert vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Paraguay (born 1965, retired 2004) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
José Luis Chilavert and Per Mertesacker represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. Career output puts José Luis Chilavert at 67 goals in 737 games, with Per Mertesacker at 15 in 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — José Luis Chilavert is listed at 0 and Per Mertesacker at 5 where figures survive. Trophy counts give José Luis Chilavert 8 and Per Mertesacker 4, with 1× Copa Libertadores (1994) and 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) the standout honours respectively. José Luis Chilavert scored with a sweeper-keen that defined his era, while Per Mertesacker's finishing carried a commanding all of its own. Club journeys add another layer, with José Luis Chilavert reaching his representative peak around 1994 across San Lorenzo, Real Zaragoza, Vélez Sarsfield, Strasbourg and Per Mertesacker doing so around 2014 with Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
177 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
José Luis Félix Chilavert González is a Paraguayan former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Sportivo Luqueño, Guaraní, San Lorenzo de Almagro, Real Zaragoza, Vélez Sarsfield, RC Strasbourg, Peñarol and the Paraguay national team. Chilavert won 12 club titles, including the 1994 Copa Libertadores and the 1994 Intercontinental Cup, while playing for Vélez Sarsfield, and is a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner. A fast and agile shot-stopper, known for his leadership, strong personality, and goalkeeping ability, he was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world in his prime; outside of his goalkeeping position, Chilavert was also known for his outfield skills and ability as a free kick specialist, and often took penalties.
“A commanding goalkeeper and set-piece specialist who made scoring from distance part of his job.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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× Copa Libertadores (1994)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1986 Established himself at San Lorenzo
- 1990 Reached his defining peak
- 1994 Delivered a landmark season
- 2004 Retired from professional football
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, José Luis Chilavert is the choice: a clear margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
José Luis Chilavert edges it (a clear margin)
