Gary Lineker vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Put Gary Lineker and Clint Dempsey side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. On production alone, Gary Lineker posted 330 goals across 567 appearances while Clint Dempsey managed 180 across 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Gary Lineker is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Gary Lineker departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 1× Copa del Rey (1988); Clint Dempsey with 2, including 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014). Stylistically Gary Lineker was predatory where Clint Dempsey was explosive — two vocabularies of the same sport. The wider career context matters too: Gary Lineker peaked around 1986 after representing Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham, while Clint Dempsey's defining level came around 2012 across New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
175 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Gary Winston Lineker (born 30 November 1960) is an English sports broadcaster, businessman, and former professional footballer who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of England's greatest players, Lineker is the only player to have been the top goalscorer in England with three clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played for Barcelona in Spain, and won 80 caps for England.
“A model penalty-box striker whose timing and finishing were almost never wasted.”
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× Copa del Rey (1988)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1978 Established himself at Leicester City
- 1982 Reached his defining peak
- 1986 Delivered a landmark season
- 1994 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, Gary Lineker takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Gary Lineker edges it (a decisive margin)
