Carlos Tevez vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1984, retired 2021) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Line up Carlos Tevez next to Mario Kempes and the contrasts come quickly. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. Carlos Tevez finishes with 280 career goals from 700 games — a 0.40 strike rate — against Mario Kempes's 350 from 600 at 0.58 per match. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Carlos Tevez is credited with 90 and Mario Kempes with 0. The honours ledger favours Carlos Tevez with 5 major trophies (1× Premier League (2012)) against Mario Kempes's 3 (1× FIFA World Cup (1978)). Carlos Tevez built his medal haul through years of explosive consistency, while Mario Kempes won his with explosive bursts of brilliance. Club journeys add another layer, with Carlos Tevez reaching his representative peak around 2011 across Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors, Shanghai Shenhua, Boca Juniors and Mario Kempes doing so around 1978 with Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
195 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
A tenacious, street-smart Argentine striker known as 'El Apache', beloved for his relentless work rate and hunger for goals.
“A combative, low-centre-of-gravity forward who pressed relentlessly and thrived on scrappy, instinctive finishes.”
The talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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× Premier League (2012)
- 2× Serie A (2014, 2015)
- 1× Copa Libertadores (2003)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (2003)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Professional debut for Boca Juniors
- 2012 Won Premier League with Manchester City
- 2003 Won Argentine Primera División with Boca Juniors
- 2011 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2021 Retired after a final spell at Boca Juniors
- Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours.
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
