Gary Lineker vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Gary Lineker and Mario Kempes represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. Career output puts Gary Lineker at 330 goals in 567 games, with Mario Kempes at 350 in 600. Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. Trophy counts give Gary Lineker 9 and Mario Kempes 3, with 1× Copa del Rey (1988) and 1× FIFA World Cup (1978) the standout honours respectively. Stylistically Gary Lineker was clinical where Mario Kempes was mercurial — 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 Mario Kempes's defining level came around 1978 across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
170 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 talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
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
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Gary Lineker takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Gary Lineker edges it (a clear margin)
