Rivelino vs Dennis Bergkamp: Stats Compared
Left Midfielder, Brazil (born 1946, retired 1981) · Second Striker, Netherlands (born 1969, retired 2006)
Put Rivelino and Dennis Bergkamp side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Beyond the numbers, each man brought a singular aesthetic to the pitch. The raw numbers read 238 goals in 624 outings for Rivelino (0.38/game), versus 290 in 795 for Dennis Bergkamp (0.36/game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. Rivelino departs the game with 8 major pieces of silverware, including 1× FIFA World Cup (1970); Dennis Bergkamp with 10, including 1× UEFA Cup (1992). Stylistically Rivelino was incisive where Dennis Bergkamp was incisive — two vocabularies of the same sport. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Rivelino's landmark level arrived around 1970 with a career spanning Corinthians, Fluminense, Al-Hilal; Dennis Bergkamp's came around 2002 across Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
153 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
Roberto Rivellino (born 1 January 1946), known mononymously as Rivellino, is a Brazilian football pundit and former player. He was a key member of Brazil’s 1970 FIFA World Cup-winning team and played as an attacking midfielder. He was renowned for his moustache, powerful long-range shooting, accurate passing, close control, dribbling and bending free kicks.
“A left-footed conductor famous for the elastico, fierce shooting and daring switches of play.”
Dutch forward and Arsenal icon renowned for his technical brilliance; three-time Premier League winner with the Gunners.
“A statuesque second striker whose first touch and vision created beauty wherever he played.”
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 (1970)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1992)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1987)
- 1× Eredivisie (1990)
- 3× Premier League (1998, 2002, 2004)
- 4× FA Cup (1998, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1962 Established himself at Corinthians
- 1966 Reached his defining peak
- 1970 Delivered a landmark season
- 1981 Retired from professional football
- 1986 Ajax debut
- 1990 Won the Eredivisie with Ajax
- 1993 Joined Inter Milan in an unhappy spell
- 1998 Scored iconic World Cup goal against Argentina
- 2002 Won the Premier League and FA Cup double
- 2004 Part of Arsenal's Invincibles season
- 2006 Final Emirates Stadium farewell
The verdict
If forced to pick, Dennis Bergkamp is the choice: a clear margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Dennis Bergkamp edges it (a clear margin)
