Careca vs Per Mertesacker: Stats Compared
Striker, Brazil (born 1960, retired 1994) · Centre-Back, Germany (born 1984, retired 2018)
Put Careca and Per Mertesacker side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. It is in how they played, rather than what they won, that the comparison gets interesting. Careca finishes with 300 career goals from 600 games — a 0.50 strike rate — against Per Mertesacker's 15 from 550 at 0.03 per match. In chance creation, Careca tallied 30 assists to Per Mertesacker's 5. In major honours Careca collected 4 — headlined by 2× Serie A (1987, 1990) — whereas Per Mertesacker amassed 4, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (2014). Careca played with a explosive that made him unmistakable; Per Mertesacker brought a elegant that was equally his own. Context beyond the headline totals is important: Careca's landmark level arrived around 1988 with a career spanning Guarani, São Paulo, Napoli, Kashima Antlers; Per Mertesacker's came around 2014 across Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Arsenal. Picking between them says as much about the picker as the players.
159 words · comparison angle: style
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.”
A towering, calm German centre-back nicknamed 'BFG' by Arsenal fans, Mertesacker started every match of Germany's triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign.
“A commanding, positionally intelligent centre-back whose reading of the game compensated for a lack of raw pace.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 3× FA Cup (2014, 2015, 2017)
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.
- 2001 Professional debut for Hannover 96
- 2014 Won FIFA World Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Won FA Cup with Arsenal
- 2014 Reached the peak of his powers at Arsenal
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Arsenal
- Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours. Finished his career with 15 goals in 550 appearances and 4 major honours.
The verdict
If forced to pick, Careca is the choice: a clear margin, with a sharper goalscoring record the deciding factor.
Careca edges it (a clear margin)
