Eusébio vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Striker, Portugal (born 1942, retired 1978) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
The Eusébio–Park Ji-sung comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. Career output puts Eusébio at 623 goals in 715 games, with Park Ji-sung at 60 in 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Eusébio is listed at 0 and Park Ji-sung at 60 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Eusébio 9 and Park Ji-sung 5, with 1× European Cup (1962) and 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) the standout honours respectively. Where Eusébio was a flair-driven presence in the box, Park Ji-sung offered a dictatorial approach to goalscoring. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Eusébio's landmark level arrived around 1965 with a career spanning Benfica, Montréal Manic; Park Ji-sung's came around 2008 across Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
170 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
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 Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
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)
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1957 Established himself at Benfica
- 1961 Reached his defining peak
- 1965 Delivered a landmark season
- 1978 Retired from professional football
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Eusébio takes it by a decisive margin.
Eusébio edges it (a decisive margin)
