David Beckham vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Right Midfielder, England (born 1975, retired 2013) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
Ask any fan to rank David Beckham above or below Per Mertesacker and you will get a passionate answer. Honours are what separate great players from trophy-laden legends, and both qualify. The raw numbers read 145 goals in 839 outings for David Beckham (0.17/game), versus 15 in 550 for Per Mertesacker (0.03/game). In chance creation, David Beckham tallied 152 assists to Per Mertesacker's 5. The honours ledger favours David Beckham with 13 major trophies (1× UEFA Champions League (1999)) against Per Mertesacker's 4 (1× FIFA World Cup (2014)). One lifted trophies through incisive reliability, the other through commanding moments that decided finals. The wider career context matters too: David Beckham peaked around 1999 after representing Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, while Per Mertesacker's defining level came around 2014 across Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
151 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
English midfielder renowned for his crossing and free-kicks; Champions League winner with Manchester United in 1999 and six-time Premier League champion.
“A pinpoint crosser and dead-ball specialist whose right foot could deliver any ball over any distance.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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 (1999)
- 6× Premier League
- 2× FA Cup
- 1× La Liga (2007)
- 2× MLS Cup (2011, 2012)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2013)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1992 Manchester United debut
- 1996 Scored a goal from halfway against Wimbledon
- 1999 Treble winner with Manchester United
- 2001 Last-minute free-kick against Greece sent England to the World Cup
- 2003 Joined Real Madrid
- 2007 Moved to LA Galaxy
- 2013 Won Ligue 1 with PSG and retired
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, David Beckham is the choice: a decisive margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
David Beckham edges it (a decisive margin)
