Teófilo Cubillas vs Rüştü Reçber: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989) · Goalkeeper, Turkey (born 1973, retired 2011)
Teófilo Cubillas against Rüştü Reçber is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Their jobs on the pitch were not the same, yet both redefined what their role could be. The raw numbers read 220 goals in 500 outings for Teófilo Cubillas (0.44/game), versus 0 in 600 for Rüştü Reçber (0.00/game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. In major honours Teófilo Cubillas collected 4 — headlined by 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978) — whereas Rüştü Reçber amassed 4, led by 3× Süper Lig (1996, 2001, 2007). The attacking midfielder duties of Teófilo Cubillas leaned creative; the goalkeeper responsibilities of Rüştü Reçber leaned brave. 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 Rüştü Reçber doing so around 2002 with Fenerbahçe, Barcelona, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
181 words · comparison angle: role
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.”
An iconic, wild-eyed shot-stopper, Rüştü was the inspirational goalkeeper behind Turkey's surprise run to third place at the 2002 World Cup.
“A fearless, larger-than-life goalkeeper whose commanding presence and shot-stopping made him a talismanic figure for club and country.”
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)
- 3× Süper Lig (1996, 2001, 2007)
- 1× Turkish Cup (2004)
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.
- 1990 Professional debut for Fenerbahçe
- 1996 Won Süper Lig with Fenerbahçe
- 2004 Won Turkish Cup with Fenerbahçe
- 2002 Reached the peak of his powers at Barcelona
- 2011 Retired after a final spell at Beşiktaş
- Finished his career with 0 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 0 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Teófilo Cubillas takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Teófilo Cubillas edges it (a decisive margin)
