Careca vs Paul Ince: Stats Compared
Striker, Brazil (born 1960, retired 1994) · Central Midfielder, England (born 1967, retired 2006)
Careca versus Paul Ince is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Position shapes everything in football, and these two fulfilled very different briefs. The raw numbers read 300 goals in 600 outings for Careca (0.50/game), versus 90 in 650 for Paul Ince (0.14/game). Add playmaking to the mix and Careca laid on 30 goals, Paul Ince 60. Trophy counts give Careca 4 and Paul Ince 4, with 2× Serie A (1987, 1990) and 2× Premier League (1993, 1994) the standout honours respectively. The striker duties of Careca leaned mercurial; the central midfielder responsibilities of Paul Ince leaned orchestrating. Club journeys add another layer, with Careca reaching his representative peak around 1988 across Guarani, São Paulo, Napoli, Kashima Antlers and Paul Ince doing so around 1994 with West Ham United, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swindon Town. Greatness, in cases like this, is rarely a zero-sum affair.
150 words · comparison angle: role
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.”
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
- 2× Serie A (1987, 1990)
- 1× UEFA Cup (1989)
- 1× Coppa Italia (1987)
- 2× Premier League (1993, 1994)
- 2× FA Cup (1990, 1994)
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.
- 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
Weighing production, silverware and profile, the two finish within a whisker of each other. Call it a respectful draw — greatness of this calibre resists a single winner.
Too close to call — a respectful draw
