Roberto Baggio vs Edgar Davids: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Italy (born 1967, retired 2004) · Defensive Midfielder, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2011)
Few debates split football fans quite like Roberto Baggio versus Edgar Davids. Both built reputations on finding the back of the net, but they did it in markedly different ways. On production alone, Roberto Baggio posted 318 goals across 602 appearances while Edgar Davids managed 45 across 600. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Roberto Baggio is listed at 0 and Edgar Davids at 40 where figures survive. The honours ledger favours Roberto Baggio with 9 major trophies (1× UEFA Cup (1993)) against Edgar Davids's 4 (1× UEFA Champions League (1995)). Where Roberto Baggio was a silky presence in the box, Edgar Davids offered a silky approach to goalscoring. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Roberto Baggio's landmark level arrived around 1993 with a career spanning Vicenza, Fiorentina, Juventus, Milan, Bologna, Inter; Edgar Davids's came around 2000 across Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Internazionale, Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax, Crystal Palace. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
177 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Roberto Baggio is an Italian former professional footballer who mainly played as a second striker, or as an attacking midfielder. He is also the former president of the technical sector of the Italian Football Federation. A highly skillful creative playmaker and set piece specialist, renowned for his curling free-kicks, dribbling skills, and goalscoring, Baggio is regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all time.
“A delicate playmaker with velvet touch, disguised passing and an instinct for decisive moments.”
Nicknamed 'The Pitbull' for his relentless tackling, Davids wore his trademark wraparound goggles and was one of the most feared ball-winners in Europe during Juventus's late-1990s dominance.
“An aggressive, tireless ball-winner whose combativeness and surprising technical quality made him a complete midfield destroyer.”
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× UEFA Cup (1993)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 3× Serie A (1998, 2002, 2003)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1985 Established himself at Vicenza
- 1989 Reached his defining peak
- 1993 Delivered a landmark season
- 2004 Retired from professional football
- 1991 Professional debut for Ajax
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won Serie A with Juventus
- 2000 Reached the peak of his powers at Juventus
- 2011 Retired after a final spell at Crystal Palace
- Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Roberto Baggio edges the comparison. The margin is a clear margin, decided mostly by a sharper goalscoring record.
Roberto Baggio edges it (a clear margin)
