Garrincha vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Ask any fan to rank Garrincha above or below Mario Kempes and you will get a passionate answer. Both built reputations on finding the back of the net, but they did it in markedly different ways. By the end Garrincha had 245 goals from 612 caps and club outings; Mario Kempes had 350 from 600. 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 Garrincha with 9 major trophies (2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962)) against Mario Kempes's 3 (1× FIFA World Cup (1978)). Where Garrincha was a ruthless presence in the box, Mario Kempes offered a explosive approach to goalscoring. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Garrincha's landmark level arrived around 1962 with a career spanning Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo; Mario Kempes's came around 1978 across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
169 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 talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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 (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Garrincha the lead — a narrow margin, courtesy of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Garrincha edges it (a narrow margin)
