Daniele De Rossi vs Edgar Davids: Stats Compared
Central Midfielder, Italy (born 1983, retired 2019) · Defensive Midfielder, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2011)
Set Daniele De Rossi alongside Edgar Davids and the numbers start an argument of their own. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. The raw numbers read 65 goals in 700 outings for Daniele De Rossi (0.09/game), versus 45 in 600 for Edgar Davids (0.08/game). Creativity tells a story too: 60 assists for Daniele De Rossi against 40 for Edgar Davids. In major honours Daniele De Rossi collected 3 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) — whereas Edgar Davids amassed 4, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (1995). Daniele De Rossi built his medal haul through years of silky consistency, while Edgar Davids won his with creative bursts of brilliance. The wider career context matters too: Daniele De Rossi peaked around 2013 after representing Roma, while Edgar Davids's defining level came around 2000 across Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Internazionale, Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax, Crystal Palace. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
162 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
A one-club legend and 2006 World Cup winner, De Rossi embodied Roma's midfield for nearly two decades, combining ferocious tackling with a superb range of passing.
“A commanding, technically excellent deep-lying midfielder who mixed hard tackling with elegant long-range distribution.”
Nicknamed 'The Pitbull' for his relentless tackling, Davids wore his trademark wraparound goggles and was one of the most feared ball-winners in Europe during Juventus's late-1990s dominance.
“An aggressive, tireless ball-winner whose combativeness and surprising technical quality made him a complete midfield destroyer.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× Coppa Italia (2007, 2008)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 3× Serie A (1998, 2002, 2003)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Professional debut for Roma
- 2006 Won FIFA World Cup with Roma
- 2007 Won Coppa Italia with Roma
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Roma
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Roma
- Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 65 goals in 700 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 1991 Professional debut for Ajax
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won Serie A with Juventus
- 2000 Reached the peak of his powers at Juventus
- 2011 Retired after a final spell at Crystal Palace
- Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
