Garrincha vs Gary Lineker: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994)
Garrincha against Gary Lineker is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. Across his senior career Garrincha notched 245 goals in 612 appearances (0.40 per game), while Gary Lineker recorded 330 in 567 (0.58 per 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. In major honours Garrincha collected 9 — headlined by 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962) — whereas Gary Lineker amassed 9, led by 1× Copa del Rey (1988). History will file Garrincha under mercurial greatness and Gary Lineker under explosive greatness — different shelves, same temple. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Garrincha's landmark level arrived around 1962 with a career spanning Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo; Gary Lineker's came around 1986 across Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
169 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.”
Gary Winston Lineker (born 30 November 1960) is an English sports broadcaster, businessman, and former professional footballer who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of England's greatest players, Lineker is the only player to have been the top goalscorer in England with three clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Barcelona in Spain, and won 80 caps for England.
“A model penalty-box striker whose timing and finishing were almost never wasted.”
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× Copa del Rey (1988)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 1978 Established himself at Leicester City
- 1982 Reached his defining peak
- 1986 Delivered a landmark season
- 1994 Retired from professional football
The verdict
The numbers give Gary Lineker the lead — a narrow margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Gary Lineker edges it (a narrow margin)
