Jairzinho vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Right Winger, Brazil (born 1944, retired 1982) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Comparing Jairzinho with Teófilo Cubillas means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. Across his senior career Jairzinho notched 350 goals in 650 appearances (0.54 per game), while Teófilo Cubillas recorded 220 in 500 (0.44 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Jairzinho is listed at 60 and Teófilo Cubillas at 0 where figures survive. Jairzinho departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 2× FIFA World Cup (1962, 1970); Teófilo Cubillas with 4, including 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978). Their legacies diverge in texture: Jairzinho is remembered as predatory, Teófilo Cubillas as incisive. Their routes to the top were distinct: Jairzinho built his reputation across Botafogo, Marseille, Cruzeiro, Portuguesa, Noroeste, peaking around 1970, while Teófilo Cubillas reached his defining level around 1978 after spells with Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
183 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
The only man to score in every match of a World Cup-winning campaign (1970), Jairzinho was the explosive right winger of Brazil's most celebrated side.
“A powerful, direct winger who combined electric pace with a thunderous shot, terrorising full-backs down the right flank.”
Peru's greatest ever player, Cubillas remains the only man to score five goals across two separate World Cups, inspiring Peru's celebrated 1978 side.
“A quick, two-footed attacking midfielder renowned for a ferocious long-range shot and clever dribbling in tight spaces.”
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 (1962, 1970)
- 3× Campeonato Carioca (1962, 1967, 1968)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1959 Professional debut for Botafogo
- 1962 Won FIFA World Cup with Botafogo
- 1962 Won Campeonato Carioca with Botafogo
- 1970 Reached the peak of his powers at Botafogo
- 1982 Retired after a final spell at Noroeste
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 650 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 650 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 1966 Professional debut for Alianza Lima
- 1967 Won Peruvian Primera División with Alianza Lima
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Alianza Lima
- 1989 Retired after a final spell at Alianza Lima
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 500 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Jairzinho takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Jairzinho edges it (a clear margin)
