Careca vs Edgar Davids: Stats Compared
Striker, Brazil (born 1960, retired 1994) · Defensive Midfielder, Netherlands (born 1973, retired 2011)
Line up Careca next to Edgar Davids and the contrasts come quickly. Where pure finishing is concerned, this is a shootout between two of the most feared marksmen of their time. Across his senior career Careca notched 300 goals in 600 appearances (0.50 per game), while Edgar Davids recorded 45 in 600 (0.08 per game). Creativity tells a story too: 30 assists for Careca against 40 for Edgar Davids. The honours ledger favours Careca with 4 major trophies (2× Serie A (1987, 1990)) against Edgar Davids's 4 (1× UEFA Champions League (1995)). Where Careca was a mercurial presence in the box, Edgar Davids offered a orchestrating approach to goalscoring. Their routes to the top were distinct: Careca built his reputation across Guarani, São Paulo, Napoli, Kashima Antlers, peaking around 1988, while Edgar Davids reached his defining level around 2000 after spells with Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Internazionale, Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax, Crystal Palace. Whichever side you land on, both belong in any conversation about the finest of their generation.
169 words · comparison angle: goalscoring
Player profiles
Diego Maradona's strike partner at Napoli, Careca formed one of Serie A's most feared attacking duos, helping the club to its first two Scudetti.
“A sharp, technically excellent striker whose close combination play and clinical finishing perfectly complemented a more individualist strike partner.”
Nicknamed 'The Pitbull' for his relentless tackling, Davids wore his trademark wraparound goggles and was one of the most feared ball-winners in Europe during Juventus's late-1990s dominance.
“An aggressive, tireless ball-winner whose combativeness and surprising technical quality made him a complete midfield destroyer.”
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× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 1× Coppa Italia (1987)
- 1× UEFA Champions League (1995)
- 3× Serie A (1998, 2002, 2003)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1978 Professional debut for Guarani
- 1987 Won Serie A with São Paulo
- 1987 Won Coppa Italia with São Paulo
- 1988 Reached the peak of his powers at Napoli
- 1994 Retired after a final spell at Kashima Antlers
- Finished his career with 300 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 300 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
- 1991 Professional debut for Ajax
- 1995 Won UEFA Champions League with Ajax
- 1998 Won Serie A with Juventus
- 2000 Reached the peak of his powers at Juventus
- 2011 Retired after a final spell at Crystal Palace
- Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 45 goals in 600 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Edgar Davids is the choice: a narrow margin, with a stronger all-round attribute profile the deciding factor.
Edgar Davids edges it (a narrow margin)
