Ronaldo Nazário vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Striker, Brazil (born 1976, retired 2011) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
Ask any fan to rank Ronaldo Nazário above or below Park Ji-sung and you will get a passionate answer. Strikers are judged on goals, and on that raw currency both men delivered extraordinary returns. By the end Ronaldo Nazário had 414 goals from 618 caps and club outings; Park Ji-sung had 60 from 550. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Ronaldo Nazário is credited with 0 and Park Ji-sung with 60. Ronaldo Nazário departs the game with 8 major pieces of silverware, including 2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002); Park Ji-sung with 5, including 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011). Ronaldo Nazário scored with a clinical that defined his era, while Park Ji-sung's finishing carried a incisive all of its own. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Ronaldo Nazário's landmark level arrived around 2002 with a career spanning Cruzeiro, PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Corinthians; Park Ji-sung's came around 2008 across Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
193 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Brazilian striker who won two World Cups and is widely considered one of the most complete forwards in history; back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner in 1997 and 2002.
“An explosive, two-footed striker blending raw pace, finishing and clinical dribbling at full speed.”
The first Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
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
- 2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002)
- 2× Copa América (1997, 1999)
- 1× FIFA Confederations Cup (1997)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1998)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1997)
- 1× La Liga (2003)
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1993 Professional debut for Cruzeiro aged 16
- 1994 Joined PSV and was a World Cup squad member
- 1996 World-record transfer to Barcelona
- 1997 World-record transfer to Inter Milan
- 2002 Top scorer and World Cup winner in Japan/Korea
- 2003 Joined Real Madrid's Galácticos
- 2011 Retired at Corinthians
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Ronaldo Nazário the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Ronaldo Nazário edges it (a decisive margin)
