Edwin van der Sar vs Paul Scholes: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Netherlands (born 1970, retired 2011) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1974, retired 2013)
There is something timeless about weighing Edwin van der Sar against Paul Scholes. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. The raw numbers read 0 goals in 820 outings for Edwin van der Sar (0.00/game), versus 169 in 784 for Paul Scholes (0.22/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Edwin van der Sar is listed at 0 and Paul Scholes at 75 where figures survive. In major honours Edwin van der Sar collected 9 — headlined by 1× UEFA Champions League (2008) — whereas Paul Scholes amassed 17, led by 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008). Stylistically Edwin van der Sar was authoritative where Paul Scholes was dictatorial — two vocabularies of the same sport. The wider career context matters too: Edwin van der Sar peaked around 2008 after representing Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, Manchester United, while Paul Scholes's defining level came around 2008 across Manchester United. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
182 words · comparison angle: style
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.”
Manchester United midfielder renowned for his passing range and vision; two-time Champions League winner.
“A short-sighted, single-touch midfielder whose passing range was unmatched in his generation.”
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)
- 2× UEFA Champions League (1999, 2008)
- 11× Premier League
- 3× FA Cup (1996, 1999, 2004)
- 1× FIFA Club World Cup (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2000 Established himself at Ajax
- 2004 Reached his defining peak
- 2008 Delivered a landmark season
- 2011 Retired from professional football
- 1994 Manchester United debut
- 1996 First Premier League title
- 1999 Treble winner with Manchester United
- 2003 Briefly retired from England duty
- 2008 Second Champions League winner
- 2011 Came out of retirement to help Manchester United
- 2013 Retired for good at Manchester United
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Paul Scholes takes it by a decisive margin.
Paul Scholes edges it (a decisive margin)
