Cafu vs Robin van Persie: Stats Compared
Right-Back, Brazil (born 1970, retired 2008) · Striker, Netherlands (born 1983, retired 2019)
Set Cafu alongside Robin van Persie and the numbers start an argument of their own. Strip away the highlights and the medal count tells its own story for each man. By the end Cafu had 53 goals from 856 caps and club outings; Robin van Persie had 322 from 694. Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. The honours ledger favours Cafu with 9 major trophies (2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002)) against Robin van Persie's 9 (1× Premier League (2013)). Cafu built his medal haul through years of rugged consistency, while Robin van Persie won his with clinical bursts of brilliance. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Cafu's landmark level arrived around 2002 with a career spanning São Paulo, Roma, Milan; Robin van Persie's came around 2012 across Feyenoord, Arsenal, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
166 words · comparison angle: trophies
Player profiles
Marcos Evangelista de Morais (born 7 June 1970), known as Cafu, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a right-back. Widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, he was known for his pace and energetic attacking runs along the right flank. He is the most-capped player for the Brazil national team with 142 appearances.
“A relentless full-back whose running power and crossing made the flank a second engine.”
Robin van Persie is a Dutch football coach and former professional footballer. He last served as the head coach of Eredivisie club Feyenoord. He is regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation and was known for his technique, ball control, and vision.
“A left-footed artist whose volleys, movement and aerial technique made difficult finishes routine.”
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
- 2× FIFA World Cup (1994, 2002)
- 1× Premier League (2013)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1994 Established himself at São Paulo
- 1998 Reached his defining peak
- 2002 Delivered a landmark season
- 2008 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Established himself at Feyenoord
- 2008 Reached his defining peak
- 2012 Delivered a landmark season
- 2019 Retired from professional football
The verdict
If forced to pick, Cafu is the choice: a narrow margin, with remarkable longevity the deciding factor.
Cafu edges it (a narrow margin)
