Teófilo Cubillas vs Pauleta: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989) · Striker, Portugal (born 1973, retired 2008)
Comparing Teófilo Cubillas with Pauleta means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. Teófilo Cubillas finishes with 220 career goals from 500 games — a 0.44 strike rate — against Pauleta's 240 from 550 at 0.44 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Teófilo Cubillas is credited with 0 and Pauleta with 40. The honours ledger favours Teófilo Cubillas with 4 major trophies (4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)) against Pauleta's 3 (1× Ligue 1 (2000)). Teófilo Cubillas built his medal haul through years of incisive consistency, while Pauleta won his with predatory bursts of brilliance. Club journeys add another layer, with Teófilo Cubillas reaching his representative peak around 1978 across Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima and Pauleta doing so around 2000 with Vitória Guimarães, Salgueiros, Deportivo La Coruña, Bordeaux, Paris Saint-Germain. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
186 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer for over a decade, Pauleta was a clinical striker who led Bordeaux to a shock Ligue 1 title before years as Paris Saint-Germain's talisman.
“A sharp-shooting, opportunistic striker with excellent positioning inside the box and a reliable finish with either foot.”
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)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2000)
- 2× Coupe de France (2004, 2006)
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.
- 1992 Professional debut for Vitória Guimarães
- 2000 Won Ligue 1 with Bordeaux
- 2004 Won Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain
- 2000 Reached the peak of his powers at Bordeaux
- 2008 Retired after a final spell at Paris Saint-Germain
- Finished his career with 240 goals in 550 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 240 goals in 550 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Teófilo Cubillas the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a stronger all-round attribute profile.
Teófilo Cubillas edges it (a clear margin)
