Djalma Santos vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Right-Back, Brazil (born 1929, retired 1968) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Djalma Santos and Teófilo Cubillas represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Silverware is the currency of legacy, and both players filled cabinets that few can rival. Career output puts Djalma Santos at 15 goals in 650 games, with Teófilo Cubillas at 220 in 500. 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 Djalma Santos collected 4 — headlined by 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962) — whereas Teófilo Cubillas amassed 4, led by 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978). Djalma Santos built his medal haul through years of commanding consistency, while Teófilo Cubillas won his with orchestrating bursts of brilliance. Club journeys add another layer, with Djalma Santos reaching his representative peak around 1958 across Portuguesa, Palmeiras and Teófilo Cubillas doing so around 1978 with Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
174 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
A two-time World Cup winner who played until he was nearly 38, Djalma Santos was renowned for his positional discipline and elegant overlapping runs down the right flank.
“A composed, technically excellent full-back whose overlapping runs and crossing were decades ahead of his position's usual demands.”
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.”
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
- 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962)
- 2× Campeonato Paulista (1959, 1963)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1947 Professional debut for Portuguesa
- 1958 Won FIFA World Cup with Portuguesa
- 1959 Won Campeonato Paulista with Portuguesa
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Portuguesa
- 1968 Retired after a final spell at Palmeiras
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 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.
The verdict
On balance Djalma Santos edges the comparison. The margin is a narrow margin, decided mostly by remarkable longevity.
Djalma Santos edges it (a narrow margin)
