Esteban Cambiasso vs Paul Ince: Stats Compared
Central Midfielder, Argentina (born 1980, retired 2016) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1967, retired 2006)
Ask any fan to rank Esteban Cambiasso above or below Paul Ince and you will get a passionate answer. Their textures on the ball are what fans actually remember, and they could hardly be more different. Across his senior career Esteban Cambiasso notched 60 goals in 620 appearances (0.10 per game), while Paul Ince recorded 90 in 650 (0.14 per game). The assist columns read 55 for Esteban Cambiasso and 60 for Paul Ince where the record exists. Esteban Cambiasso departs the game with 7 major pieces of silverware, including 1× UEFA Champions League (2010); Paul Ince with 4, including 2× Premier League (1993, 1994). Stylistically Esteban Cambiasso was intelligent where Paul Ince was intelligent — two vocabularies of the same sport. Club journeys add another layer, with Esteban Cambiasso reaching his representative peak around 2010 across River Plate, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Leicester City, Olympiacos and Paul Ince doing so around 1994 with West Ham United, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swindon Town. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
179 words · comparison angle: style
Player profiles
A tireless, tactically astute Argentine midfielder who anchored Inter's historic 2010 treble-winning side.
“A disciplined box-to-box midfielder with excellent positional sense and a surprising eye for a spectacular long-range goal.”
The first Black player to captain England, Ince was a combative, driving midfielder at the heart of Manchester United's early Premier League dominance.
“An aggressive, all-action midfielder whose tackling and late runs into the box made him a formidable box-to-box presence.”
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 (2010)
- 5× Serie A (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
- 1× FIFA Club World Cup (2010)
- 2× Premier League (1993, 1994)
- 2× FA Cup (1990, 1994)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1996 Professional debut for River Plate
- 2010 Won UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan
- 2010 Won FIFA Club World Cup with Inter Milan
- 2010 Reached the peak of his powers at Inter Milan
- 2016 Retired after a final spell at Olympiacos
- Finished his career with 60 goals in 620 appearances and 7 major honours. Finished his career with 60 goals in 620 appearances and 7 major honours.
- 1986 Professional debut for West Ham United
- 1993 Won Premier League with Manchester United
- 1990 Won FA Cup with Manchester United
- 1994 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester United
- 2006 Retired after a final spell at Swindon Town
- Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 90 goals in 650 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Esteban Cambiasso is the choice: a clear margin, with a weightier trophy cabinet the deciding factor.
Esteban Cambiasso edges it (a clear margin)
