Miroslav Klose vs Marc Overmars: Stats Compared
Striker, Germany (born 1978, retired 2016) · Winger, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2004)
Miroslav Klose against Marc Overmars is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. By the end Miroslav Klose had 318 goals from 705 caps and club outings; Marc Overmars had 130 from 500. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Miroslav Klose is credited with 0 and Marc Overmars with 100. In major honours Miroslav Klose collected 7 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) — whereas Marc Overmars amassed 3, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (1995). One lifted trophies through clinical reliability, the other through ruthless moments that decided finals. The wider career context matters too: Miroslav Klose peaked around 2014 after representing Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Lazio, while Marc Overmars's defining level came around 1998 across Go Ahead Eagles, Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
172 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
All-time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 16 goals; Germany's all-time leading goalscorer with 71 international goals.
“A selfless striker and aerial specialist whose consistency made him a World Cup great.”
One of the fastest wingers of his era, Overmars was a key attacker in Ajax's 1995 Champions League triumph and Arsenal's 1998 Premier League and FA Cup double.
“A blisteringly quick left winger whose explosive first few yards regularly left full-backs trailing.”
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 (2014)
- 2× Bundesliga (2008, 2010)
- 3× DFB-Pokal (2005, 2008, 2010)
- 1× Coppa Italia (2013)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 1× Premier League (1998)
- 1× FA Cup (1998)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Kaiserslautern debut
- 2002 World Cup debut, scored five headed goals
- 2007 Joined Bayern Munich
- 2011 Joined Lazio, won over fans with relentless work rate
- 2014 World Cup winner, became the all-time World Cup top scorer (16 goals)
- 2016 Retired at Lazio
- 1991 Professional debut for Go Ahead Eagles
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Barcelona
- Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Miroslav Klose the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Miroslav Klose edges it (a decisive margin)
