Park Ji-sung vs Nuno Gomes: Stats Compared
Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014) · Striker, Portugal (born 1976, retired 2013)
Ask any fan to rank Park Ji-sung above or below Nuno Gomes and you will get a passionate answer. Position shapes everything in football, and these two fulfilled very different briefs. Across his senior career Park Ji-sung notched 60 goals in 550 appearances (0.11 per game), while Nuno Gomes recorded 190 in 600 (0.32 per game). In chance creation, Park Ji-sung tallied 60 assists to Nuno Gomes's 30. Park Ji-sung departs the game with 5 major pieces of silverware, including 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011); Nuno Gomes with 5, including 3× Primeira Liga (1994, 2005, 2010). The midfielder duties of Park Ji-sung leaned dictatorial; the striker responsibilities of Nuno Gomes leaned mercurial. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Park Ji-sung's landmark level arrived around 2008 with a career spanning Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers; Nuno Gomes's came around 2004 across Benfica, Fiorentina, Benfica, Braga. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
164 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
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.”
Portugal's talismanic striker through two major tournaments, Nuno Gomes was Benfica's record European Championship top scorer and a beloved figure in Portuguese football.
“A sharp, hard-working striker whose movement and finishing made him a reliable source of goals across two decades.”
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
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
- 3× Primeira Liga (1994, 2005, 2010)
- 2× Taça de Portugal (2004, 2005)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 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.
- 1994 Professional debut for Benfica
- 1994 Won Primeira Liga with Benfica
- 2004 Won Taça de Portugal with Benfica
- 2004 Reached the peak of his powers at Benfica
- 2013 Retired after a final spell at Braga
- Finished his career with 190 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 190 goals in 600 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Park Ji-sung wins out by a narrow margin on the weight of consistency at the very highest level.
Park Ji-sung edges it (a narrow margin)
