Raymond Kopa vs Predrag Mijatović: Stats Compared
Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967) · Striker, Yugoslavia (born 1969, retired 2004)
Few debates split football fans quite like Raymond Kopa versus Predrag Mijatović. Style separates them as much as statistics: two players, two unmistakable signatures. Career output puts Raymond Kopa at 150 goals in 450 games, with Predrag Mijatović at 210 in 500. 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 Predrag Mijatović with 30. The honours ledger favours Raymond Kopa with 5 major trophies (3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)) against Predrag Mijatović's 2 (1× UEFA Champions League (1998)). Stylistically Raymond Kopa was mercurial where Predrag Mijatović was explosive — two vocabularies of the same sport. Their routes to the top were distinct: Raymond Kopa built his reputation across Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims, peaking around 1958, while Predrag Mijatović reached his defining level around 1998 after spells with Budućnost Podgorica, Partizan, Valencia CF, Real Madrid, Fiorentina, Levante. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
171 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.”
Mijatović's decisive winning goal in the 1998 Champions League final ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait for the European Cup and remains one of the club's most iconic moments.
“A clever, mobile striker whose intelligent runs in behind and composed finishing produced goals in the biggest moments.”
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× UEFA Champions League (1998)
- 1× La Liga (1997)
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.
- 1986 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1998 Won UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid
- 1997 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Levante
- Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 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
