Gianluigi Buffon vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Goalkeeper, Italy (born 1978, retired 2023) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
Set Gianluigi Buffon alongside Clint Dempsey and the numbers start an argument of their own. Trophies, more than goals, are how most supporters ultimately remember a career. Career output puts Gianluigi Buffon at 1 goals in 1147 games, with Clint Dempsey at 180 in 550. Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — Gianluigi Buffon is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. In major honours Gianluigi Buffon collected 15 — headlined by 1× FIFA World Cup (2006) — whereas Clint Dempsey amassed 2, led by 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014). One lifted trophies through imposing reliability, the other through explosive moments that decided finals. Club journeys add another layer, with Gianluigi Buffon reaching his representative peak around 2006 across Parma, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Parma and Clint Dempsey doing so around 2012 with New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
166 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Italian goalkeeper and the most capped Italian player of all time; 2006 World Cup winner and ten-time Serie A champion.
“An authoritative, athletic keeper whose longevity made him the most-capped goalkeeper in history.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2006)
- 10× Serie A
- 2× Coppa Italia
- 1× UEFA Cup (1999)
- 1× Ligue 1 (2019)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1995 Parma debut
- 2001 World-record keeper transfer to Juventus
- 2003 Lost the Champions League final on penalties
- 2006 World Cup winner with Italy
- 2018 Joined Paris Saint-Germain
- 2019 Returned to Juventus
- 2023 Scored a career goal for Parma in Serie B
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
The numbers give Gianluigi Buffon the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a weightier trophy cabinet.
Gianluigi Buffon edges it (a decisive margin)
