Garrincha vs Rivelino: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Left Midfielder, Brazil (born 1946, retired 1981)
Set Garrincha alongside Rivelino and the numbers start an argument of their own. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Garrincha finishes with 245 career goals from 612 games — a 0.40 strike rate — against Rivelino's 238 from 624 at 0.38 per match. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Trophy counts give Garrincha 9 and Rivelino 8, with 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962) and 1× FIFA World Cup (1970) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through predatory reliability, the other through intelligent moments that decided finals. Their routes to the top were distinct: Garrincha built his reputation across Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo, peaking around 1962, while Rivelino reached his defining level around 1970 after spells with Corinthians, Fluminense, Al-Hilal. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
155 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
Roberto Rivellino (born 1 January 1946), known mononymously as Rivellino, is a Brazilian football pundit and former player. He was a key member of Brazil’s 1970 FIFA World Cup-winning team and played as an attacking midfielder. He was renowned for his moustache, powerful long-range shooting, accurate passing, close control, dribbling and bending free kicks.
“A left-footed conductor famous for the elastico, fierce shooting and daring switches of play.”
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 (1970)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1954 Established himself at Botafogo
- 1958 Reached his defining peak
- 1962 Delivered a landmark season
- 1972 Retired from professional football
- 1962 Established himself at Corinthians
- 1966 Reached his defining peak
- 1970 Delivered a landmark season
- 1981 Retired from professional football
The verdict
On balance Rivelino edges the comparison. The margin is a narrow margin, decided mostly by consistency at the very highest level.
Rivelino edges it (a narrow margin)
