David Luiz vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, Brazil (born 1987, retired 2023) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
There is something timeless about weighing David Luiz against Elías Figueroa. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. On production alone, David Luiz posted 35 goals across 650 appearances while Elías Figueroa managed 40 across 600. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — David Luiz is listed at 25 and Elías Figueroa at 0 where figures survive. The honours ledger favours David Luiz with 6 major trophies (1× UEFA Champions League (2012)) against Elías Figueroa's 5 (2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)). Their finishing mirrored their personalities: David Luiz rugged, Elías Figueroa elegant. Club journeys add another layer, with David Luiz reaching his representative peak around 2013 across Vitória, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Flamengo and Elías Figueroa doing so around 1974 with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
165 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
An eccentric, unpredictable Brazilian centre-back famed for his wild hairstyles and thunderous free-kicks, David Luiz won trophies across three major European leagues.
“An unorthodox, high-risk centre-back who combined bold attacking instincts and a huge shot with occasionally erratic positioning.”
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
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2012)
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2013, 2019)
- 2× Premier League (2015, 2017)
- 1× FA Cup (2018)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2006 Professional debut for Vitória
- 2012 Won UEFA Champions League with Chelsea
- 2018 Won FA Cup with Chelsea
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Chelsea
- 2023 Retired after a final spell at Flamengo
- Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 35 goals in 650 appearances and 6 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
If forced to pick, David Luiz is the choice: a narrow margin, with a stronger all-round attribute profile the deciding factor.
David Luiz edges it (a narrow margin)
