Diego Maradona vs Rivelino: Stats Compared
Forward / Playmaker, Argentina (born 1960, retired 1997) · Left Midfielder, Brazil (born 1946, retired 1981)
Diego Maradona against Rivelino is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. The raw numbers read 293 goals in 582 outings for Diego Maradona (0.50/game), versus 238 in 624 for Rivelino (0.38/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. The honours ledger favours Diego Maradona with 6 major trophies (1× FIFA World Cup (1986)) against Rivelino's 8 (1× FIFA World Cup (1970)). Diego Maradona played with a predatory that made him unmistakable; Rivelino brought a incisive that was equally his own. The wider career context matters too: Diego Maradona peaked around 1986 after representing Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys, while Rivelino's defining level came around 1970 across Corinthians, Fluminense, Al-Hilal. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
166 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.”
Roberto Rivellino (born 1 January 1946), known mononymously as Rivellino, is a Brazilian football pundit and former player. He was a key member of Brazil’s 1970 FIFA World Cup-winning team and played as an attacking midfielder. He was renowned for his moustache, powerful long-range shooting, accurate passing, close control, dribbling and bending free kicks.
“A left-footed conductor famous for the elastico, fierce shooting and daring switches of play.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1970)
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
- 1962 Established himself at Corinthians
- 1966 Reached his defining peak
- 1970 Delivered a landmark season
- 1981 Retired from professional football
The verdict
On balance Diego Maradona edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by a sharper goalscoring record.
Diego Maradona edges it (a clear margin)
