Garrincha vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
Put Garrincha and Raymond Kopa side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Comparing across positions is never straightforward, and these two asked different questions of opponents. Across his senior career Garrincha notched 245 goals in 612 appearances (0.40 per game), while Raymond Kopa recorded 150 in 450 (0.33 per game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. The honours ledger favours Garrincha with 9 major trophies (2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962)) against Raymond Kopa's 5 (3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)). As a right winger Garrincha bent the role to a ruthless template; as a forward, Raymond Kopa redefined it with explosive authority. Club journeys add another layer, with Garrincha reaching his representative peak around 1962 across Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo and Raymond Kopa doing so around 1958 with Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
164 words · comparison angle: role
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.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Garrincha the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Garrincha edges it (a decisive margin)
