Rivelino vs Elías Figueroa: Stats Compared
Left Midfielder, Brazil (born 1946, retired 1981) · Centre-Back, Chile (born 1946, retired 1982)
Ask any fan to rank Rivelino above or below Elías Figueroa and you will get a passionate answer. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. The raw numbers read 238 goals in 624 outings for Rivelino (0.38/game), versus 40 in 600 for Elías Figueroa (0.07/game). Reliable assist tallies simply do not exist for large stretches of their careers, leaving creativity to the eye rather than the spreadsheet. Trophy counts give Rivelino 8 and Elías Figueroa 5, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1970) and 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968) the standout honours respectively. Rivelino belonged to the 1970s, dominating with a silky quality; Elías Figueroa rose in the 1970s with a rugged edge. Their routes to the top were distinct: Rivelino built his reputation across Corinthians, Fluminense, Al-Hilal, peaking around 1970, while Elías Figueroa reached his defining level around 1974 after spells with Santiago Wanderers, Peñarol, Internacional, Palestino, Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The honest conclusion is that comparison enriches appreciation rather than crowns a single winner.
172 words · comparison angle: era
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.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1970)
- 2× Uruguayan Primera División (1967, 1968)
- 3× Campeonato Gaúcho (1973, 1974, 1975)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1962 Established himself at Corinthians
- 1966 Reached his defining peak
- 1970 Delivered a landmark season
- 1981 Retired from professional football
- 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
Reasonable people will disagree, but Rivelino wins out by a clear margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Rivelino edges it (a clear margin)
