Raymond Kopa vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Raymond Kopa and Clint Dempsey represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Separated by their years at the top, each defined the football of their own generation. Career output puts Raymond Kopa at 150 goals in 450 games, with Clint Dempsey at 180 in 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Raymond Kopa is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. In major honours Raymond Kopa collected 5 — headlined by 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959) — whereas Clint Dempsey amassed 2, led by 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014). Raymond Kopa belonged to the post-war golden age, dominating with a ruthless quality; Clint Dempsey rose in the modern era with a explosive edge. Club journeys add another layer, with Raymond Kopa reaching his representative peak around 1958 across Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims and Clint Dempsey doing so around 2012 with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
184 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 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, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
