Zico vs Predrag Mijatović: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Brazil (born 1953, retired 1994) · Striker, Yugoslavia (born 1969, retired 2004)
Zico against Predrag Mijatović is the kind of comparison that fuels pub arguments for hours. Reputations harden into legacies, and few careers cast longer shadows than these two. Career output puts Zico at 525 goals in 732 games, with Predrag Mijatović at 210 in 500. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Zico is listed at 0 and Predrag Mijatović at 30 where figures survive. In major honours Zico collected 9 — headlined by 4× Campeonato Brasileiro Série A — whereas Predrag Mijatović amassed 2, led by 1× UEFA Champions League (1998). Their legacies diverge in texture: Zico is remembered as dictatorial, Predrag Mijatović as explosive. Club journeys add another layer, with Zico reaching his representative peak around 1981 across Flamengo, Udinese, Kashima Antlers and Predrag Mijatović doing so around 1998 with Budućnost Podgorica, Partizan, Valencia CF, Real Madrid, Fiorentina, Levante. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
164 words · comparison angle: legacy
Player profiles
Arthur Antunes Coimbra, better known as Zico, is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. A creative playmaker with excellent technical skills, vision and an eye for goal, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, and also considered one of the best free kick specialists in history. According to one estimate, Zico has scored the most direct free kicks in history, with 101 goals including friendlies, among which 62 are verified in official games.
“A free-kick artist and incisive number ten whose final pass arrived before defenders could react.”
Mijatović's decisive winning goal in the 1998 Champions League final ended Real Madrid's 32-year wait for the European Cup and remains one of the club's most iconic moments.
“A clever, mobile striker whose intelligent runs in behind and composed finishing produced goals in the biggest moments.”
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
- 4× Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1998)
- 1× La Liga (1997)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1973 Established himself at Flamengo
- 1977 Reached his defining peak
- 1981 Delivered a landmark season
- 1994 Retired from professional football
- 1986 Professional debut for Budućnost Podgorica
- 1998 Won UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid
- 1997 Won La Liga with Real Madrid
- 1998 Reached the peak of his powers at Real Madrid
- 2004 Retired after a final spell at Levante
- Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 210 goals in 500 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Zico the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Zico edges it (a decisive margin)
