Diego Maradona vs Roger Milla: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Striker, Cameroon (born 1952, retired 1994)
Set Diego Maradona alongside Roger Milla and the numbers start an argument of their own. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. By the end Diego Maradona had 293 goals from 582 caps and club outings; Roger Milla had 150 from 400. Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. In major honours Diego Maradona collected 6 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (1986) — whereas Roger Milla amassed 3, led by 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988). Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Diego Maradona predatory, Roger Milla explosive. 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; Roger Milla's came around 1990 across Union Douala, Valenciennes, Monaco, Bastia, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier, JS Kabylie. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
176 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 exuberant hero of Cameroon's 1990 World Cup run, Milla became the oldest World Cup goalscorer at 42 and made his corner-flag dance world famous.
“A joyful, clever striker whose sharp movement and composure produced decisive goals late into his career.”
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)
- 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988)
- 1× Coupe de France (1981)
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
- 1974 Professional debut for Union Douala
- 1984 Won Africa Cup of Nations with Monaco
- 1981 Won Coupe de France with Monaco
- 1990 Reached the peak of his powers at Montpellier
- 1994 Retired after a final spell at JS Kabylie
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 400 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 400 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Diego Maradona takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Diego Maradona edges it (a decisive margin)
