Roger Milla vs Ali Daei: Stats Compared
Striker, Cameroon (born 1952, retired 1994) · Striker, Iran (born 1969, retired 2007)
Roger Milla versus Ali Daei is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Long after the final whistle, what lingers is influence, and each man reshaped his corner of the game. By the end Roger Milla had 150 goals from 400 caps and club outings; Ali Daei had 200 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 Roger Milla collected 3 — headlined by 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988) — whereas Ali Daei amassed 4, led by 3× Iranian Football League (1990, 1991, 1993). Their legacies diverge in texture: Roger Milla is remembered as ruthless, Ali Daei as clinical. Their routes to the top were distinct: Roger Milla built his reputation across Union Douala, Valenciennes, Monaco, Bastia, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier, JS Kabylie, peaking around 1990, while Ali Daei reached his defining level around 1999 after spells with Persepolis, Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern Munich, Hertha BSC, Al-Sadd, Saba Qom. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
177 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
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.”
The all-time leading international goalscorer for over a decade with 109 goals, Daei was Asia's most feared centre-forward through the 1990s and 2000s.
“A physically imposing, clinical target man dominant in the air and lethal in front of goal.”
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
- 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988)
- 1× Coupe de France (1981)
- 3× Iranian Football League (1990, 1991, 1993)
- 1× Hazfi Cup (1993)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 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.
- 1988 Professional debut for Persepolis
- 1990 Won Iranian Football League with Persepolis
- 1993 Won Hazfi Cup with Persepolis
- 1999 Reached the peak of his powers at Bayern Munich
- 2007 Retired after a final spell at Saba Qom
- Finished his career with 200 goals in 400 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 200 goals in 400 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Ali Daei takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Ali Daei edges it (a clear margin)
