Luís Figo vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Winger, Portugal (born 1972, retired 2009) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
Comparing Luís Figo with Park Ji-sung means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. The raw numbers read 144 goals in 737 outings for Luís Figo (0.20/game), versus 60 in 550 for Park Ji-sung (0.11/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Luís Figo is listed at 0 and Park Ji-sung at 60 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Luís Figo 12 and Park Ji-sung 5, with 1× UEFA Champions League (2002) and 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) the standout honours respectively. History will file Luís Figo under creative greatness and Park Ji-sung under orchestrating greatness — different shelves, same temple. Their routes to the top were distinct: Luís Figo built his reputation across Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, peaking around 2000, while Park Ji-sung reached his defining level around 2008 after spells with Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
183 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Portuguese winger and 2000 Ballon d'Or winner; won league titles in Spain and Italy at Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter.
“A right-wing dribbler with a trademark step-over and the capacity to deliver telling crosses all day.”
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× UEFA Champions League (2002)
- 4× La Liga (1998, 1999, 2001, 2003)
- 4× Serie A (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1997)
- 2× Copa del Rey (1997, 1998)
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1989 Sporting CP debut
- 1995 Joined Barcelona
- 2000 Controversial transfer to Real Madrid
- 2000 Ballon d'Or winner
- 2002 Champions League winner with Real Madrid
- 2005 Signed for Inter Milan
- 2009 Retired at Inter Milan
- 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
The numbers give Luís Figo the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Luís Figo edges it (a decisive margin)
