Roger Milla vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Striker, Cameroon (born 1952, retired 1994) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
Roger Milla against Park Ji-sung is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Long after the final whistle, what lingers is influence, and each man reshaped his corner of the game. Roger Milla finishes with 150 career goals from 400 games — a 0.38 strike rate — against Park Ji-sung's 60 from 550 at 0.11 per match. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Roger Milla is listed at 0 and Park Ji-sung at 60 where figures survive. Roger Milla departs the game with 3 major pieces of silverware, including 2× Africa Cup of Nations (1984, 1988); Park Ji-sung with 5, including 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011). Their legacies diverge in texture: Roger Milla is remembered as explosive, Park Ji-sung as dictatorial. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Roger Milla's landmark level arrived around 1990 with a career spanning Union Douala, Valenciennes, Monaco, Bastia, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier, JS Kabylie; Park Ji-sung's came around 2008 across Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
193 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 first Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
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)
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
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.
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Park Ji-sung wins out by a clear margin on the weight of superior creative output.
Park Ji-sung edges it (a clear margin)
