Teddy Sheringham vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Striker, England (born 1966, retired 2008) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
Ask any fan to rank Teddy Sheringham above or below Per Mertesacker and you will get a passionate answer. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. Career output puts Teddy Sheringham at 320 goals in 900 games, with Per Mertesacker at 15 in 550. In chance creation, Teddy Sheringham tallied 130 assists to Per Mertesacker's 5. Trophy counts give Teddy Sheringham 4 and Per Mertesacker 4, with 1× UEFA Champions League (1999) and 1× FIFA World Cup (2014) the standout honours respectively. Their finishing mirrored their personalities: Teddy Sheringham clinical, Per Mertesacker commanding. Their routes to the top were distinct: Teddy Sheringham built his reputation across Millwall, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, West Ham United, Colchester United, peaking around 1999, while Per Mertesacker reached his defining level around 2014 after spells with Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
162 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
A cerebral, late-developing striker, Sheringham scored the injury-time equaliser in Manchester United's 1999 Champions League final and remains the Premier League's oldest ever goalscorer.
“An intelligent, deep-dropping forward whose clever hold-up play and vision created space for quicker strike partners.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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)
- 2× Premier League (1999, 2000)
- 1× FA Cup (1999)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1984 Professional debut for Millwall
- 1999 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 1999 Won FA Cup with Manchester United
- 1999 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2008 Retired after a final spell at Colchester United
- Finished his career with 320 goals in 900 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 320 goals in 900 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Teddy Sheringham takes the verdict — a clear margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Teddy Sheringham edges it (a clear margin)
