Diego Maradona vs Kevin Keegan: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Forward, England (born 1951, retired 1984)
Set Diego Maradona alongside Kevin Keegan and the numbers start an argument of their own. Their jobs on the pitch were not the same, yet both redefined what their role could be. By the end Diego Maradona had 293 goals from 582 caps and club outings; Kevin Keegan had 240 from 700. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Diego Maradona collected 6 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (1986) — whereas Kevin Keegan amassed 6, led by 1× European Cup (1977). As a forward / playmaker Diego Maradona bent the role to a ruthless template; as a forward, Kevin Keegan redefined it with explosive authority. Their routes to the top were distinct: Diego Maradona built his reputation across Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys, peaking around 1986, while Kevin Keegan reached his defining level around 1978 after spells with Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Hamburger SV, Southampton, Newcastle United. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
184 words · comparison angle: role
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.”
A two-time Ballon d'Or winner, Keegan was English football's first true superstar of the television era, winning the European Cup with Liverpool before dazzling in the Bundesliga.
“An energetic, tirelessly hard-running forward whose enthusiasm and clever movement made him far more effective than his modest frame suggested.”
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 (1977)
- 3× English First Division (1973, 1976, 1977)
- 2× UEFA Cup (1973, 1976)
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
- 1968 Professional debut for Scunthorpe United
- 1977 Won European Cup with Liverpool
- 1973 Won UEFA Cup with Liverpool
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Hamburger SV
- 1984 Retired after a final spell at Newcastle United
- Finished his career with 240 goals in 700 appearances and 6 major honours. Finished his career with 240 goals in 700 appearances and 6 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)
