Just Fontaine vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Striker, France (born 1933, retired 1962) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Ask any fan to rank Just Fontaine above or below Teófilo Cubillas and you will get a passionate answer. Legacy is the only real measure that outlives the numbers, and both have staked towering claims. Career output puts Just Fontaine at 200 goals in 300 games, with Teófilo Cubillas at 220 in 500. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. The honours ledger favours Just Fontaine with 5 major trophies (3× Ligue 1 (1955, 1958, 1960)) against Teófilo Cubillas's 4 (4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)). History will file Just Fontaine under explosive greatness and Teófilo Cubillas under intelligent greatness — different shelves, same temple. The wider career context matters too: Just Fontaine peaked around 1958 after representing USM Casablanca, Nice, Reims, while Teófilo Cubillas's defining level came around 1978 across Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
173 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Fontaine's record of thirteen goals at the 1958 World Cup remains the highest single-tournament tally in history, a feat many consider unbreakable.
“An explosively quick, clinical striker whose finishing instincts produced goals in bunches over a tragically short career cut down by injury.”
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
- 3× Ligue 1 (1955, 1958, 1960)
- 2× Coupe de France (1958, 1961)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1950 Professional debut for USM Casablanca
- 1955 Won Ligue 1 with Nice
- 1958 Won Coupe de France with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Reims
- 1962 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 200 goals in 300 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 200 goals in 300 appearances and 5 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
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
