Diego Maradona vs George Best: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984)
Comparing Diego Maradona with George Best means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Style separates them as much as statistics: two players, two unmistakable signatures. On production alone, Diego Maradona posted 293 goals across 582 appearances while George Best managed 214 across 616. Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. The honours ledger favours Diego Maradona with 6 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (1986)) against George Best's 5 (1× European Cup (1968)). Diego Maradona played with a clinical that made him unmistakable; George Best brought a clinical that was equally his own. Club journeys add another layer, with Diego Maradona reaching his representative peak around 1986 across Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys and George Best doing so around 1968 with Manchester United, Fulham, others. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
164 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Argentine legend who almost single-handedly led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup and transformed Napoli into Italian and European contenders.
“A low-centre-of-gravity left-footed genius whose dribbling and playmaking carried teams single-handedly.”
Northern Irish winger and Manchester United icon; Ballon d'Or winner in 1968 after helping Manchester United win their first European Cup.
“A balance-perfect winger who combined dribbling flair with an eye for goal and a rock-star aura.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1986)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× Copa Italia (1987)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (1981)
- 1× European Cup (1968)
- 2× English First Division (1965, 1967)
- 2× FA Charity Shield (1965, 1967)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1976 Argentinos Juniors debut ten days before his 16th birthday
- 1981 Joined Boca Juniors and won the Argentine league
- 1982 World-record transfer to Barcelona
- 1984 Signed for Napoli for another world-record fee
- 1987 Led Napoli to their first ever Serie A title
- 1990 Captained Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final
- 1997 Played his final professional matches at Boca Juniors
- 1963 Manchester United debut aged 17
- 1965 First English First Division title
- 1968 European Cup winner and Ballon d'Or winner
- 1968 Joint top scorer in the First Division
- 1972 Brief retirement then return to Manchester United
- 1974 Left Manchester United
- 1984 Made final professional appearances in the United States
The verdict
The numbers give Diego Maradona the lead — a clear margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Diego Maradona edges it (a clear margin)
