Garrincha vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Garrincha against Clint Dempsey is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. By the end Garrincha had 245 goals from 612 caps and club outings; Clint Dempsey had 180 from 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Garrincha is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Garrincha departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962); Clint Dempsey with 2, including 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014). Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Garrincha predatory, Clint Dempsey clinical. Their routes to the top were distinct: Garrincha built his reputation across Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo, peaking around 1962, while Clint Dempsey reached his defining level around 2012 after spells with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
164 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
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.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Garrincha wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Garrincha edges it (a decisive margin)
