Gary Lineker vs Marc Overmars: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994) · Winger, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2004)
Comparing Gary Lineker with Marc Overmars means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. By the end Gary Lineker had 330 goals from 567 caps and club outings; Marc Overmars had 130 from 500. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Gary Lineker is credited with 0 and Marc Overmars with 100. Trophy counts give Gary Lineker 9 and Marc Overmars 3, with 1× Copa del Rey (1988) and 1× UEFA Champions League (1995) the standout honours respectively. Gary Lineker built his medal haul through years of clinical consistency, while Marc Overmars won his with clinical bursts of brilliance. Their routes to the top were distinct: Gary Lineker built his reputation across Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham, peaking around 1986, while Marc Overmars reached his defining level around 1998 after spells with Go Ahead Eagles, Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
179 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
One of the fastest wingers of his era, Overmars was a key attacker in Ajax's 1995 Champions League triumph and Arsenal's 1998 Premier League and FA Cup double.
“A blisteringly quick left winger whose explosive first few yards regularly left full-backs trailing.”
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× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 1× Premier League (1998)
- 1× FA Cup (1998)
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
- 1991 Professional debut for Go Ahead Eagles
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Barcelona
- Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 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)
