Tostão vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Striker, Brazil (born 1947, retired 1973) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Comparing Tostão with Clint Dempsey means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Long after the final whistle, what lingers is influence, and each man reshaped his corner of the game. On production alone, Tostão posted 260 goals across 450 appearances while Clint Dempsey managed 180 across 550. Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Tostão is credited with 0 and Clint Dempsey with 90. Trophy counts give Tostão 4 and Clint Dempsey 2, with 1× FIFA World Cup (1970) and 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) the standout honours respectively. History will file Tostão under flair-driven greatness and Clint Dempsey under explosive greatness — different shelves, same temple. Their routes to the top were distinct: Tostão built his reputation across Cruzeiro, Vasco da Gama, peaking around 1970, while Clint Dempsey reached his defining level around 2012 after spells with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
174 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
A key attacking partner to Pelé in the legendary 1970 World Cup-winning side, Tostão's career was tragically cut short by a detached retina at just 26.
“A clever, technically gifted forward whose intelligent movement and passing made him the connective tissue of Brazil's 1970 attack.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× FIFA World Cup (1970)
- 3× Campeonato Mineiro (1966, 1967, 1968)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1963 Professional debut for Cruzeiro
- 1970 Won FIFA World Cup with Cruzeiro
- 1966 Won Campeonato Mineiro with Cruzeiro
- 1970 Reached the peak of his powers at Cruzeiro
- 1973 Retired after a final spell at Vasco da Gama
- Finished his career with 260 goals in 450 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 260 goals in 450 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Tostão takes it by a clear margin.
Tostão edges it (a clear margin)
