Raúl vs Landon Donovan: Stats Compared
Striker, Spain (born 1977, retired 2015) · Forward, United States (born 1982, retired 2016)
Ask any fan to rank Raúl above or below Landon Donovan and you will get a passionate answer. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. Career output puts Raúl at 432 goals in 1032 games, with Landon Donovan at 190 in 550. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Raúl is credited with 0 and Landon Donovan with 145. Raúl departs the game with 16 major pieces of silverware, including 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002); Landon Donovan with 9, including 6× MLS Cup (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014). One lifted trophies through flair-driven reliability, the other through flair-driven moments that decided finals. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Raúl's landmark level arrived around 2002 with a career spanning Real Madrid, Schalke 04, Al Sadd, New York Cosmos; Landon Donovan's came around 2010 across San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, Everton, LA Galaxy. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
174 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Real Madrid legend who captained the club to three Champions League titles; held the all-time Champions League goals record before Messi and Ronaldo surpassed him.
“An intelligent, tireless forward whose movement off the ball created chances for himself and others.”
The USA's all-time leading scorer for club and country until his retirement, Donovan was the face of American soccer through three World Cups, capped by his dramatic stoppage-time winner against Algeria in 2010.
“A quick, clever forward whose intelligent movement and clinical finishing made him the USA's most decorated attacking player.”
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
- 3× UEFA Champions League (1998, 2000, 2002)
- 6× La Liga
- 4× Supercopa de España
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (1998, 2002)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (2002)
- 6× MLS Cup (2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014)
- 3× CONCACAF Gold Cup (2002, 2005, 2007)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1994 Real Madrid debut aged 17
- 1996 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Champions League winner at 20
- 2000 Champions League winner, top scorer in the tournament
- 2003 Became Real Madrid captain
- 2010 Left Real Madrid after 16 years at the club
- 2015 Retired at New York Cosmos
- 2001 Professional debut for San Jose Earthquakes
- 2001 Won MLS Cup with San Jose Earthquakes
- 2002 Won CONCACAF Gold Cup with San Jose Earthquakes
- 2010 Reached the peak of his powers at LA Galaxy
- 2016 Retired after a final spell at LA Galaxy
- Finished his career with 190 goals in 550 appearances and 9 major honours. Finished his career with 190 goals in 550 appearances and 9 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Raúl is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Raúl edges it (a decisive margin)
