George Best vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Winger / Forward, Northern Ireland (born 1946, retired 1984) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
When George Best and Per Mertesacker are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Different decades shaped different demands, and both adapted to theirs brilliantly. The raw numbers read 214 goals in 616 outings for George Best (0.35/game), versus 15 in 550 for Per Mertesacker (0.03/game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — George Best is listed at 0 and Per Mertesacker at 5 where figures survive. In major honours George Best collected 5 — headlined by 1× European Cup (1968) — whereas Per Mertesacker amassed 4, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (2014). George Best belonged to the post-war golden age, dominating with a ruthless quality; Per Mertesacker rose in the modern era with a commanding edge. The wider career context matters too: George Best peaked around 1968 after representing Manchester United, Fulham, others, while Per Mertesacker's defining level came around 2014 across Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
176 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Northern Irish winger and Manchester United icon; Ballon d'Or winner in 1968 after helping Manchester United win their first European Cup.
“A balance-perfect winger who combined dribbling flair with an eye for goal and a rock-star aura.”
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× European Cup (1968)
- 2× English First Division (1965, 1967)
- 2× FA Charity Shield (1965, 1967)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1963 Manchester United debut aged 17
- 1965 First English First Division title
- 1968 European Cup winner and Ballon d'Or winner
- 1968 Joint top scorer in the First Division
- 1972 Brief retirement then return to Manchester United
- 1974 Left Manchester United
- 1984 Made final professional appearances in the United States
- 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
Weighing production against honours, George Best takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
George Best edges it (a decisive margin)
