Andrea Pirlo vs David James: Stats Compared
Central / Attacking Midfielder, Italy (born 1979, retired 2017) · Goalkeeper, England (born 1970, retired 2014)
Andrea Pirlo against David James is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. Andrea Pirlo finishes with 73 career goals from 728 games — a 0.10 strike rate — against David James's 0 from 850 at 0.00 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Andrea Pirlo is credited with 80 and David James with 0. Andrea Pirlo departs the game with 13 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (2006); David James with 1, including 1× FA Cup (2008). Across the turn of the millennium and the turn of the millennium respectively, their dictatorial and imposing styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Their routes to the top were distinct: Andrea Pirlo built his reputation across Brescia, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, New York City FC, peaking around 2006, while David James reached his defining level around 2005 after spells with Watford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Bristol City, Bournemouth. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
204 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Italian playmaker and World Cup winner; six-time Serie A champion and two-time Champions League winner.
“A deep-lying regista whose passing range and free-kick craft orchestrated Italy and Juventus for a decade.”
The Premier League's most-capped goalkeeper at the time of his retirement, James was renowned for his shot-stopping and occasional highlight-reel errors across a two-decade top-flight career.
“An athletic, agile shot-stopper whose reflexes and command of his box made him a mainstay of English goalkeeping for 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
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (2003, 2007)
- 6× Serie A
- 2× Coppa Italia
- 2× UEFA Super Cup (2003, 2007)
- 1× FA Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 Brescia debut aged 16
- 1998 Signed for Inter Milan but failed to break through
- 2001 Joined AC Milan and his career took off
- 2006 World Cup winner with Italy
- 2011 Free transfer to Juventus
- 2014 Set a Serie A points record with Juventus
- 2015 Joined MLS side New York City FC
- 1988 Professional debut for Watford
- 2008 Won FA Cup with Portsmouth
- 2005 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Bournemouth
- Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours. Finished his career with 0 goals in 850 appearances and 1 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Andrea Pirlo the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Andrea Pirlo edges it (a decisive margin)
