Mario Kempes vs Teófilo Cubillas: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996) · Attacking Midfielder, Peru (born 1949, retired 1989)
Comparing Mario Kempes with Teófilo Cubillas means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. They occupied different roles, which makes a like-for-like verdict a careful exercise. Mario Kempes finishes with 350 career goals from 600 games — a 0.58 strike rate — against Teófilo Cubillas's 220 from 500 at 0.44 per match. 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. Trophy counts give Mario Kempes 3 and Teófilo Cubillas 4, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1978) and 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978) the standout honours respectively. As a striker Mario Kempes bent the role to a predatory template; as a attacking midfielder, Teófilo Cubillas redefined it with creative authority. The wider career context matters too: Mario Kempes peaked around 1978 after representing Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna, while Teófilo Cubillas's defining level came around 1978 across Alianza Lima, FC Basel, Alianza Lima, FC Porto, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Alianza Lima. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
190 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
The talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
- 4× Peruvian Primera División (1967, 1969, 1970, 1978)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 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
Reasonable people will disagree, but Mario Kempes wins out by a clear margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Mario Kempes edges it (a clear margin)
