Diego Forlán vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Striker, Uruguay (born 1979, retired 2019) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
Put Diego Forlán and Park Ji-sung side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. Career output puts Diego Forlán at 315 goals in 650 games, with Park Ji-sung at 60 in 550. Creativity tells a story too: 90 assists for Diego Forlán against 60 for Park Ji-sung. Diego Forlán departs the game with 3 major pieces of silverware, including 2× UEFA Europa League (2010, 2012); Park Ji-sung with 5, including 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011). Where Diego Forlán was a mercurial presence in the box, Park Ji-sung offered a orchestrating approach to goalscoring. The wider career context matters too: Diego Forlán peaked around 2010 after representing Independiente, Manchester United, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Internacional, Cerezo Osaka, Peñarol, while Park Ji-sung's defining level came around 2008 across Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
172 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Winner of the Golden Ball as the standout player of the 2010 World Cup, Forlán was a prolific, two-footed striker who twice won the European Golden Shoe.
“A tireless, two-footed striker whose work rate and clean striking technique made him a nightmare for defenders in behind.”
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
- 2× UEFA Europa League (2010, 2012)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (2010)
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Professional debut for Independiente
- 2010 Won UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid
- 2010 Won UEFA Super Cup with Atlético Madrid
- 2010 Reached the peak of his powers at Atlético Madrid
- 2019 Retired after a final spell at Peñarol
- Finished his career with 315 goals in 650 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 315 goals in 650 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 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
If forced to pick, Diego Forlán is the choice: a narrow margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Diego Forlán edges it (a narrow margin)
