Robin van Persie vs Teddy Sheringham: Stats Compared
Striker, Netherlands (born 1983, retired 2019) · Striker, England (born 1966, retired 2008)
When Robin van Persie and Teddy Sheringham are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Goals are the coldest, hardest metric in football, and both players stockedpile them. Career output puts Robin van Persie at 322 goals in 694 games, with Teddy Sheringham at 320 in 900. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Robin van Persie is listed at 0 and Teddy Sheringham at 130 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Robin van Persie 9 and Teddy Sheringham 4, with 1× Premier League (2013) and 1× UEFA Champions League (1999) the standout honours respectively. Robin van Persie scored with a clinical that defined his era, while Teddy Sheringham's finishing carried a mercurial all of its own. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Robin van Persie's landmark level arrived around 2012 with a career spanning Feyenoord, Arsenal, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe; Teddy Sheringham's came around 1999 across Millwall, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, West Ham United, Colchester United. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
187 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Robin van Persie is a Dutch football coach and former professional footballer. He last served as the head coach of Eredivisie club Feyenoord. He is regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation and was known for his technique, ball control, and vision.
“A left-footed artist whose volleys, movement and aerial technique made difficult finishes routine.”
A cerebral, late-developing striker, Sheringham scored the injury-time equaliser in Manchester United's 1999 Champions League final and remains the Premier League's oldest ever goalscorer.
“An intelligent, deep-dropping forward whose clever hold-up play and vision created space for quicker strike partners.”
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 (2013)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1999)
- 2× Premier League (1999, 2000)
- 1× FA Cup (1999)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2004 Established himself at Feyenoord
- 2008 Reached his defining peak
- 2012 Delivered a landmark season
- 2019 Retired from professional football
- 1984 Professional debut for Millwall
- 1999 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 1999 Won FA Cup with Manchester United
- 1999 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2008 Retired after a final spell at Colchester United
- Finished his career with 320 goals in 900 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 320 goals in 900 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Robin van Persie is the choice: a decisive margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
Robin van Persie edges it (a decisive margin)
