Garrincha vs Gianluigi Buffon: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023)
Ask any fan to rank Garrincha above or below Gianluigi Buffon and you will get a passionate answer. Greatness, in the end, is about who you inspired, and both left a footprint far beyond their own careers. The raw numbers read 245 goals in 612 outings for Garrincha (0.40/game), versus 1 in 1147 for Gianluigi Buffon (0.00/game). Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. The honours ledger favours Garrincha with 9 major trophies (2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962)) against Gianluigi Buffon's 15 (1× FIFA World Cup (2006)). Their legacies diverge in texture: Garrincha is remembered as flair-driven, Gianluigi Buffon as authoritative. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Garrincha's landmark level arrived around 1962 with a career spanning Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo; Gianluigi Buffon's came around 2006 across Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
165 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Manuel Francisco dos Santos (28 October 1933 – 20 January 1983), nicknamed Mané Garrincha, best known as simply Garrincha, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a right winger. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and by many, one of the greatest dribblers ever. Garrincha played a vital role in Brazil's 1958 and 1962 World Cup victories.
“A joyful dribbler whose balance and feints made the right flank his personal stage.”
Italian goalkeeper and the most capped Italian player of all time; 2006 World Cup winner and ten-time Serie A champion.
“An authoritative, athletic keeper whose longevity made him the most-capped goalkeeper in history.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 10× Serie A
- 2× Coppa Italia
- 1× UEFA Cup (1999)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2019)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 1995 Parma debut
- 2001 World-record keeper transfer to Juventus
- 2003 Lost the Champions League final on penalties
- 2006 World Cup winner with Italy
- 2018 Joined Paris Saint-Germain
- 2019 Returned to Juventus
- 2023 Scored a career goal for Parma in Serie B
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Gianluigi Buffon takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a clear margin)
