Teófilo Cubillas vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Line up Teófilo Cubillas next to Elías Figueroa and the contrasts come quickly. Beyond the numbers, each man brought a singular aesthetic to the pitch. The raw numbers read 220 goals in 500 outings for Teófilo Cubillas (0.44/game), versus 40 in 600 for Elías Figueroa (0.07/game). Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. Trophy counts give Teófilo Cubillas 4 and Elías Figueroa 5, with 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978) and 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968) the standout honours respectively. Teófilo Cubillas played with a intelligent that made him unmistakable; Elías Figueroa brought a elegant that was equally his own. Their routes to the top were distinct: Teófilo Cubillas built his reputation across Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima, peaking around 1978, while Elías Figueroa reached his defining level around 1974 after spells with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
187 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
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
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 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
On balance Elías Figueroa edges the comparison. The margin is a narrow margin, decided mostly by consistency at the very highest level.
Elías Figueroa edges it (a narrow margin)
