Diego Maradona vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Diego Maradona and Clint Dempsey represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. On production alone, Diego Maradona posted 293 goals across 582 appearances while Clint Dempsey managed 180 across 550. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Diego Maradona is credited with 0 and Clint Dempsey with 90. Trophy counts give Diego Maradona 6 and Clint Dempsey 2, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1986) and 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) the standout honours respectively. Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Diego Maradona predatory, Clint Dempsey flair-driven. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Diego Maradona's landmark level arrived around 1986 with a career spanning Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys; Clint Dempsey's came around 2012 across New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
178 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
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.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1986)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× Copa Italia (1987)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (1981)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
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
- 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
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Diego Maradona takes it by a decisive margin.
Diego Maradona edges it (a decisive margin)
