Raymond Kopa vs Bixente Lizarazu: Stats Compared
Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967) · Left-Back, France (born 1969, retired 2006)
When Raymond Kopa and Bixente Lizarazu are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. The raw numbers read 150 goals in 450 outings for Raymond Kopa (0.33/game), versus 15 in 600 for Bixente Lizarazu (0.03/game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Raymond Kopa is credited with 0 and Bixente Lizarazu with 30. Trophy counts give Raymond Kopa 5 and Bixente Lizarazu 7, with 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959) and 1× FIFA World Cup (1998) the standout honours respectively. Raymond Kopa played with a mercurial that made him unmistakable; Bixente Lizarazu brought a commanding that was equally his own. Club journeys add another layer, with Raymond Kopa reaching his representative peak around 1958 across Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims and Bixente Lizarazu doing so around 2001 with Bordeaux, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich, Marseille. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
177 words · comparison angle: style
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.”
A world judo champion off the pitch, Lizarazu was one of the finest left-backs of his generation, winning the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League with Bayern Munich.
“A compact, combative full-back whose low centre of gravity and stamina let him bomb up and down the flank all match.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA European Championship (2000)
- 4× Bundesliga (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2001)
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.
- 1988 Professional debut for Bordeaux
- 1998 Won FIFA World Cup with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Won UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich
- 2001 Reached the peak of his powers at Bayern Munich
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Marseille
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 600 appearances and 7 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Bixente Lizarazu wins out by a clear margin on the weight of remarkable longevity.
Bixente Lizarazu edges it (a clear margin)
