Marc Overmars vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Winger, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2004) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Set Marc Overmars alongside Elías Figueroa and the numbers start an argument of their own. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Across his senior career Marc Overmars notched 130 goals in 500 appearances (0.26 per game), while Elías Figueroa recorded 40 in 600 (0.07 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Marc Overmars is listed at 100 and Elías Figueroa at 0 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Marc Overmars 3 and Elías Figueroa 5, with 1× UEFA Champions League (1995) and 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through clinical reliability, the other through elegant moments that decided finals. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Marc Overmars's landmark level arrived around 1998 with a career spanning Go Ahead Eagles, Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona; Elías Figueroa's came around 1974 across Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
176 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
One of the fastest wingers of his era, Overmars was a key attacker in Ajax's 1995 Champions League triumph and Arsenal's 1998 Premier League and FA Cup double.
“A blisteringly quick left winger whose explosive first few yards regularly left full-backs trailing.”
A three-time South American Footballer of the Year, Figueroa is widely considered the finest defender the continent has produced, marshalling Internacional's dominant 1970s side.
“An imperious, elegant centre-back who combined aerial dominance with composed distribution well ahead of his era.”
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 Champions League (1995)
- 1× Premier League (1998)
- 1× FA Cup (1998)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1991 Professional debut for Go Ahead Eagles
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Barcelona
- Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 130 goals in 500 appearances and 3 major honours.
- 1965 Professional debut for Santiago Wanderers
- 1967 Won Uruguayan Primera División with Peñarol
- 1973 Won Campeonato Gaúcho with Internacional
- 1974 Reached the peak of his powers at Internacional
- 1982 Retired after a final spell at Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 40 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Elías Figueroa edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by consistency at the very highest level.
Elías Figueroa edges it (a clear margin)
