Nemanja Vidić vs Mario Kempes: Stats Compared
Centre-Back, Serbia (born 1981, retired 2016) · Striker, Argentina (born 1954, retired 1996)
Nemanja Vidić and Mario Kempes represent two answers to the same question: how do you define a great? They occupied different roles, which makes a like-for-like verdict a careful exercise. Across his senior career Nemanja Vidić notched 29 goals in 518 appearances (0.06 per game), while Mario Kempes recorded 350 in 600 (0.58 per game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. Trophy counts give Nemanja Vidić 8 and Mario Kempes 3, with 5× Premier League (2007–2013) and 1× FIFA World Cup (1978) the standout honours respectively. The centre-back duties of Nemanja Vidić leaned elegant; the striker responsibilities of Mario Kempes leaned flair-driven. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Nemanja Vidić's landmark level arrived around 2009 with a career spanning Red Star Belgrade, Spartak Moscow, Manchester United, Inter; Mario Kempes's came around 1978 across Rosario Central, Valencia CF, River Plate, Valencia CF, Hércules CF, Austria Vienna. Few pairings invite such entrenched disagreement, and fewer still deserve it this much.
175 words · comparison angle: role
Player profiles
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Widely considered as one of the greatest defenders of all time, Vidić is best known for his time at Manchester United, where he won 15 trophies and served as club captain. He is one of only five players to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice, alongside Thierry Henry, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
“A fearless centre-back who dominated the air and treated every duel as a personal contest.”
The talismanic top scorer of the 1978 World Cup, Kempes was Argentina's long-haired talisman and one of the first South American stars to shine in Spanish football.
“A powerful, direct forward who ran at defences from deep and finished with ferocious shooting power.”
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
- 5× Premier League (2007–2013)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (1978)
- 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980)
- 1× Copa del Rey (1979)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2001 Established himself at Red Star Belgrade
- 2005 Reached his defining peak
- 2009 Delivered a landmark season
- 2016 Retired from professional football
- 1973 Professional debut for Rosario Central
- 1978 Won FIFA World Cup with Valencia CF
- 1979 Won Copa del Rey with Valencia CF
- 1978 Reached the peak of his powers at Valencia CF
- 1996 Retired after a final spell at Austria Vienna
- Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours. Finished his career with 350 goals in 600 appearances and 3 major honours.
The verdict
On balance Nemanja Vidić edges the comparison. The margin is a narrow margin, decided mostly by a weightier trophy cabinet.
Nemanja Vidić edges it (a narrow margin)
