Peter Schmeichel vs Edgar Davids: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Denmark (born 1963, retired 2003) · Defensive Midfielder, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2011)
The Peter Schmeichel–Edgar Davids comparison is one of those fixtures of footballing folklore. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. The raw numbers read 0 goals in 816 outings for Peter Schmeichel (0.00/game), versus 45 in 600 for Edgar Davids (0.08/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Peter Schmeichel is listed at 0 and Edgar Davids at 40 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Peter Schmeichel 9 and Edgar Davids 4, with 1× UEFA Champions League (1999) and 1× UEFA Champions League (1995) the standout honours respectively. Where Peter Schmeichel was a brave presence in the box, Edgar Davids offered a dictatorial approach to goalscoring. Club journeys add another layer, with Peter Schmeichel reaching his representative peak around 1999 across Brøndby, Manchester United, Sporting CP, Aston Villa and Edgar Davids doing so around 2000 with Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Internazionale, Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax, Crystal Palace. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
176 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel (born 18 November 1963) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. During eight seasons at English club Manchester United, he won 15 trophies including five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and captaining the club to victory in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final to complete the treble. Schmeichel also played for the Denmark national team, with which he won the UEFA European Championship in 1992.
“A huge presence whose reflexes, command and distribution set a new goalkeeping standard.”
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 Champions League (1999)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 3× Serie A (1998, 2002, 2003)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1991 Established himself at Brøndby
- 1995 Reached his defining peak
- 1999 Delivered a landmark season
- 2003 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
Reasonable people will disagree, but Edgar Davids wins out by a narrow margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Edgar Davids edges it (a narrow margin)
