David Villa vs Clint Dempsey: Stats Compared
Striker, Spain (born 1981, retired 2020) · Forward, United States (born 1983, retired 2018)
When David Villa and Clint Dempsey are mentioned in the same breath, opinions rarely stay quiet. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. Across his senior career David Villa notched 376 goals in 752 appearances (0.50 per game), while Clint Dempsey recorded 180 in 550 (0.33 per game). Modern assist data only covers part of their careers, so creativity is hard to compare cleanly — David Villa is listed at 0 and Clint Dempsey at 90 where figures survive. Trophy counts give David Villa 9 and Clint Dempsey 2, with 1× FIFA World Cup (2010) and 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014) the standout honours respectively. David Villa belonged to the modern era, dominating with a flair-driven quality; Clint Dempsey rose in the modern era with a mercurial edge. Context beyond the headline totals is important: David Villa's landmark level arrived around 2010 with a career spanning Sporting Gijón, Valencia, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid; Clint Dempsey's came around 2012 across New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Seattle Sounders. Rank them how you like — both names are carved into the sport's permanent record.
188 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
David Villa Sánchez is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, Villa is the all-time top goalscorer of the Spain national team. He is currently the vice-president of Spanish Tercera Federación club CF Benidorm and a member of the Board of Directors of La Liga club Atlético Madrid.
“A two-footed finisher who attacked channels intelligently and struck cleanly from distance.”
The first American to score in three separate World Cups, Dempsey became the first US-born player to captain a Premier League team and remains one of the country's most decorated forwards.
“A tenacious, technically gifted forward whose late runs into the box and clever improvisation produced some of American soccer's most memorable goals.”
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× FIFA World Cup (2010)
- 1× MLS Supporters' Shield (2014)
- 1× MLS Cup (2016)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 2002 Established himself at Sporting Gijón
- 2006 Reached his defining peak
- 2010 Delivered a landmark season
- 2020 Retired from professional football
- 2004 Professional debut for New England Revolution
- 2014 Won MLS Supporters' Shield with Seattle Sounders
- 2016 Won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders
- 2012 Reached the peak of his powers at Fulham
- 2018 Retired after a final spell at Seattle Sounders
- Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours. Finished his career with 180 goals in 550 appearances and 2 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, David Villa takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
David Villa edges it (a decisive margin)
