Gary Lineker vs Franck Ribéry: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1960, retired 1994) · Winger, France (born 1983, retired 2022)
Put Gary Lineker and Franck Ribéry side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Long after the final whistle, what lingers is influence, and each man reshaped his corner of the game. Across his senior career Gary Lineker notched 330 goals in 567 appearances (0.58 per game), while Franck Ribéry recorded 220 in 800 (0.28 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Gary Lineker is listed at 0 and Franck Ribéry at 250 where figures survive. Gary Lineker departs the game with 9 major pieces of silverware, including 1× Copa del Rey (1988); Franck Ribéry with 16, including 9× Bundesliga (2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). Their legacies diverge in texture: Gary Lineker is remembered as ruthless, Franck Ribéry as predatory. Club journeys add another layer, with Gary Lineker reaching his representative peak around 1986 across Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham and Franck Ribéry doing so around 2013 with Boulogne, Metz, Galatasaray, Marseille, Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Salernitana. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
187 words · comparison angle: legacy
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 greatest wingers never to win the Ballon d'Or, Ribéry was the explosive creative force behind Bayern Munich's treble-winning 2013 campaign.
“An explosive, unpredictable dribbler whose acceleration and close control made him one of the most feared wide players in Europe for over a decade.”
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)
- 9× Bundesliga (2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2013)
- 6× DFB-Pokal (2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019)
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
- 2000 Professional debut for Boulogne
- 2008 Won Bundesliga with Bayern Munich
- 2010 Won DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich
- 2013 Reached the peak of his powers at Bayern Munich
- 2022 Retired after a final spell at Salernitana
- Finished his career with 220 goals in 800 appearances and 16 major honours. Finished his career with 220 goals in 800 appearances and 16 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Franck Ribéry takes it by a clear margin.
Franck Ribéry edges it (a clear margin)
