Carlos Tevez vs Raymond Kopa: Stats Compared
Striker, Argentina (born 1984, retired 2021) · Forward, France (born 1931, retired 1967)
There is something timeless about weighing Carlos Tevez against Raymond Kopa. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. The raw numbers read 280 goals in 700 outings for Carlos Tevez (0.40/game), versus 150 in 450 for Raymond Kopa (0.33/game). 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 Raymond Kopa with 0. The honours ledger favours Carlos Tevez with 5 major trophies (1× Premier League (2012)) against Raymond Kopa's 5 (3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)). Stylistically Carlos Tevez was mercurial where Raymond Kopa was clinical — two vocabularies of the same sport. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Carlos Tevez's landmark level arrived around 2011 with a career spanning Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors, Shanghai Shenhua, Boca Juniors; Raymond Kopa's came around 1958 across Angers, Reims, Real Madrid, Reims. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
179 words · comparison angle: style
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.”
France's first football superstar and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner, Kopa won three straight European Cups alongside Di Stéfano at Real Madrid before returning to lead Reims.
“A diminutive, dazzling dribbler and creator whose vision and close control made him the conductor of every attack he played in.”
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)
- 3× European Cup (1957, 1958, 1959)
- 2× Ligue 1 (1953, 1960)
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.
- 1949 Professional debut for Angers
- 1957 Won European Cup with Real Madrid
- 1953 Won Ligue 1 with Reims
- 1958 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 1967 Retired after a final spell at Reims
- Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 150 goals in 450 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Carlos Tevez is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Carlos Tevez edges it (a decisive margin)
