Eusébio vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Striker, Portugal (born 1942, retired 1978) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Ask any fan to rank Eusébio above or below Clint Dempsey and you will get a passionate answer. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. By the end Eusébio had 623 goals from 715 caps and club outings; Clint Dempsey had 180 from 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Eusébio is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Eusébio 9 and Clint Dempsey 2, with 1× European Cup (1962) and 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) the standout honours respectively. Eusébio played with a mercurial that made him unmistakable; Clint Dempsey brought a mercurial that was equally his own. The wider career context matters too: Eusébio peaked around 1965 after representing Benfica, Montréal Manic, while Clint Dempsey's defining level came around 2012 across New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
172 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014), nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" and "o Rei" ("the King"), was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time and Benfica’s greatest player. Known for his speed, technique, athleticism and right-footed shot, he became one of football’s most prolific goalscorers.
“A powerful, explosive striker who combined pace, technique and a thunderous shot.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× European Cup (1962)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1957 Established himself at Benfica
- 1961 Reached his defining peak
- 1965 Delivered a landmark season
- 1978 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Eusébio wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Eusébio edges it (a decisive margin)
