Edwin van der Sar vs Ferenc Puskás: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Forward, Hungary (born 1927, retired 1966)
Comparing Edwin van der Sar with Ferenc Puskás means weighing two very different kinds of greatness. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. On production alone, Edwin van der Sar posted 0 goals across 820 appearances while Ferenc Puskás managed 598 across 621. Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Edwin van der Sar collected 9 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) — whereas Ferenc Puskás amassed 10, led by 3× European Cup (1959, 1960, 1966). One lifted trophies through imposing reliability, the other through flair-driven moments that decided finals. The wider career context matters too: Edwin van der Sar peaked around 2008 after representing Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United, while Ferenc Puskás's defining level came around 1960 across Budapest Honvéd, Real Madrid. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
160 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Edwin van der Sar is a Dutch football executive and former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he was most recently the chief executive of Eredivisie club Ajax. Van der Sar began his senior playing career with Ajax in the early 1990s; he is considered to be a member of the club's golden generation and was part of the team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995.
“A tall, composed goalkeeper who made difficult saves look quiet and simple.”
Hungarian legend of the Magical Magyats and a Real Madrid galáctico; scorer of 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary.
“A barrel-chested left-footed finisher whose deadly striking powered Hungary's Golden Team.”
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 (2008)
- 3× European Cup (1959, 1960, 1966)
- 5× La Liga
- 1× Olympic Gold Medal (1952)
- 1× Central European Cup (1953)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
- 1943 Budapest Honvéd debut
- 1952 Olympic champion with Hungary
- 1953 Scored twice in the 6-3 win over England at Wembley
- 1956 Fled the Hungarian Revolution
- 1958 Joined Real Madrid
- 1960 Scored four goals in the European Cup final
- 1966 Retired from playing
The verdict
If forced to pick, Ferenc Puskás is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Ferenc Puskás edges it (a decisive margin)
