Patrick Kluivert vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Striker, Netherlands (born 1976, retired 2008) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
The Patrick Kluivert–Clint Dempsey comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. Patrick Kluivert finishes with 229 career goals from 563 games — a 0.41 strike rate — against Clint Dempsey's 180 from 550 at 0.33 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Patrick Kluivert is credited with 0 and Clint Dempsey with 90. The honours ledger favours Patrick Kluivert with 8 major trophies (1× UEFA Champions League (1995)) against Clint Dempsey's 2 (1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)). One lifted trophies through flair-driven reliability, the other through mercurial moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Patrick Kluivert reaching his representative peak around 1999 across Ajax, Milan, Barcelona, Newcastle, Valencia, PSV and Clint Dempsey doing so around 2012 with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
172 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Patrick Stephan Kluivert is a Dutch football coach and former player. As a player, he played as a striker for Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team. He was part of Ajax's Golden Generation of the 1990s, scoring the winner in the 1995 UEFA Champions League Final at the age of 18.
“A technically polished striker who linked play beautifully and finished with either foot.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1991 Established himself at Ajax
- 1995 Reached his defining peak
- 1999 Delivered a landmark season
- 2008 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Patrick Kluivert takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Patrick Kluivert edges it (a decisive margin)
