Pavel Nedvěd vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Midfielder, Czech Republic (born 1972, retired 2009) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
Pavel Nedvěd and Per Mertesacker represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? Position shapes everything in football, and these two fulfilled very different briefs. Across his senior career Pavel Nedvěd notched 156 goals in 711 appearances (0.22 per game), while Per Mertesacker recorded 15 in 550 (0.03 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Pavel Nedvěd is listed at 0 and Per Mertesacker at 5 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Pavel Nedvěd 9 and Per Mertesacker 4, with 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1999) and 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) the standout honours respectively. The midfielder duties of Pavel Nedvěd leaned orchestrating; the centre-back responsibilities of Per Mertesacker leaned commanding. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Pavel Nedvěd's landmark level arrived around 2003 with a career spanning Dukla Prague, Sparta Prague, Lazio, Juventus; Per Mertesacker's came around 2014 across Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
179 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
Czech midfielder and 2003 Ballon d'Or winner; Serie A champion with Lazio and Juventus.
“A tireless attacking midfielder with explosive shooting from distance and endless running.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1999)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (1999)
- 3× Serie A (2000, 2002, 2003)
- 2× Coppa Italia (1998, 2000)
- 2× Supercoppa Italiana (2002, 2003)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1991 Dukla Prague debut
- 1996 Joined Lazio
- 1999 Won the Cup Winners' Cup with Lazio
- 2001 Joined Juventus as Zidane's replacement
- 2003 Ballon d'Or winner, reached the Champions League final
- 2005 Stayed at Juventus in Serie B after Calciopoli
- 2009 Retired at Juventus
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Pavel Nedvěd is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Pavel Nedvěd edges it (a decisive margin)
