Garrincha vs Peter Shilton: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1933, retired 1972) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1949, retired 1997)
The Garrincha–Peter Shilton comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. Garrincha finishes with 245 career goals from 612 games — a 0.40 strike rate — against Peter Shilton's 1 from 1005 at 0.00 per match. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Garrincha departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 2× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962); Peter Shilton with 4, including 2× European Cup (1979, 1980). Garrincha scored with a mercurial that defined his era, while Peter Shilton's finishing carried a authoritative all of its own. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Garrincha's landmark level arrived around 1962 with a career spanning Botafogo, Corinthians, Flamengo; Peter Shilton's came around 1980 across Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Wimbledon, Leyton Orient. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
174 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 most-capped England player in history with 125 caps, Shilton set an English record of 1,005 league appearances and won back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest.
“A commanding, remarkably consistent shot-stopper whose positioning and reflexes made him one of the most reliable goalkeepers of his generation.”
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)
- 2× European Cup (1979, 1980)
- 1× English First Division (1978)
- 1× League Cup (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
- 1966 Professional debut for Leicester City
- 1979 Won European Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1979 Won League Cup with Nottingham Forest
- 1980 Reached the peak of his powers at Nottingham Forest
- 1997 Retired after a final spell at Leyton Orient
- Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 1 goals in 1005 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Garrincha wins out by a clear margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Garrincha edges it (a clear margin)
