Mario Kempes vs Dejan Savićević: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996) · Attacking Midfielder, Yugoslavia (born 1966, retired 2001)
There is something timeless about weighing Mario Kempes against Dejan Savićević. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. On production alone, Mario Kempes posted 350 goals across 600 appearances while Dejan Savićević managed 110 across 450. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Mario Kempes is credited with 0 and Dejan Savićević with 70. The honours ledger favours Mario Kempes with 3 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (1978)) against Dejan Savićević's 5 (1× European Cup (1991)). Where Mario Kempes was a clinical presence in the box, Dejan Savićević offered a dictatorial approach to goalscoring. Their routes to the top were distinct: Mario Kempes built his reputation across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna, peaking around 1978, while Dejan Savićević reached his defining level around 1994 after spells with Budućnost Podgorica, Red Star Belgrade, AC Milan, Rapid Wien. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
182 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
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.”
Nicknamed 'The Genius', Savićević was a mesmerising Montenegrin playmaker whose iconic lobbed goal in the 1994 Champions League final capped AC Milan's most dominant era.
“An audacious, unpredictable dribbler whose flair and outrageous invention made him one of the most watchable players 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
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
- 1× European Cup (1991)
- 3× Serie A (1993, 1994, 1996)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1994)
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.
- 1982 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1991 Won European Cup with Red Star Belgrade
- 1994 Won UEFA Champions League with AC Milan
- 1994 Reached the peak of his powers at AC Milan
- 2001 Retired after a final spell at Rapid Wien
- Finished his career with 110 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 110 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Mario Kempes is the choice: a narrow margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Mario Kempes edges it (a narrow margin)
