Zico vs Park Ji-sung: Stats Compared
Attacking Midfielder, Brazil (born 1953, retired 1994) · Midfielder, South Korea (born 1981, retired 2014)
Few debates split football fans quite like Zico versus Park Ji-sung. Silverware is the currency of legacy, and both players filled cabinets that few can rival. Zico finishes with 525 career goals from 732 games — a 0.72 strike rate — against Park Ji-sung's 60 from 550 at 0.11 per match. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Zico is listed at 0 and Park Ji-sung at 60 where figures survive. Trophy counts give Zico 9 and Park Ji-sung 5, with 4× Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) the standout honours respectively. One lifted trophies through orchestrating reliability, the other through intelligent moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Zico reaching his representative peak around 1981 across Flamengo, Udinese, Kashima Antlers and Park Ji-sung doing so around 2008 with Kyoto Purple Sanga, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
174 words · comparison angle: trophies
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.”
The first Asian player to win the Champions League and reach a World Cup semi-final, Park was renowned for his tireless work rate and big-game performances for Manchester United.
“A relentless, selfless box-to-box midfielder whose stamina and tactical discipline made him invaluable in the biggest matches.”
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
- 4× Premier League (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (2008)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1973 Established himself at Flamengo
- 1977 Reached his defining peak
- 1981 Delivered a landmark season
- 1994 Retired from professional football
- 2000 Professional debut for Kyoto Purple Sanga
- 2007 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 2008 Won UEFA Champions League with Manchester United
- 2008 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2014 Retired after a final spell at Queens Park Rangers
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 550 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Reasonable people will disagree, but Zico wins out by a decisive margin on the weight of a sharper goalscoring record.
Zico edges it (a decisive margin)
